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Preview: #12 Penn State (7-1, 3-1) @ Northwestern (5-3, 2-2)
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Will tight end Andrew Quarless have another big game?
(AP Photo/Tony Ding)
What to Know
- WHEN: October 31, 2009
WHERE: Ryan Field (44,112)
KICKOFF: 4:30 pm EST
TV: ESPN (nationally)
RADIO: PSU Sports Network (over 60 stations)
WEB STREAM: www.GoPSUSports.com - Series: Penn State leads 9-3
- Last meeting: Penn State 33, Northwestern 7
(2006) - Last Week: PSU 35, Michigan 10
Northwestern 29, Indiana 28 - Game notes: PSU | Northwestern
- Paterno Press Conference Notes
- 2009 Penn State preview: Northwestern
- Penn State locking in on possible BCS berth
- Daryll Clark named O'Brien Award Semifinalist
- Examiner Top 25
- Weather Forecast
- Northwestern Examiner
- Twitter
Penn State plays their third road game of the season, and second in a row, Saturday when the Nittany Lions (7-1, 3-1 in the Big Ten) take on Northwestern (5-3, 2-2) in Evanston, Illinois Saturday. Penn State should be on a bit of an upset alert this weekend.
Joe Paterno must have his team prepared for this weekend's game and ensure that they will not be looking past the Wildcats, who are coming off the largest come-from-behind victory in program history a week ago. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald gets the most production out of his players with the talent he has available, more so than most coaches in college football. You can bank on the fact that Northwestern will play hard for 60 minutes.
But the Wildcats have few weapons that can really penetrate the Penn State defense. Other than quarterback Mike Kafka the wildcats present little to overcome a Nittany Lion defense that is among the nation's best against the run and has shown better ability against the pass this season.
Kafka leads Northwestern in passing yards as well as rushing yards, indicating that he can be a dual threat on any given play. But that does not usually bode well for Penn State opponents. Penn State has put the clamp down on most of their opponents' key players this year and did not allow guys like Arrelious Benn of Illinois or Eric Decker of Minnesota to have big days against them and hurt them on the scoreboard. If Kafka is Northwestern's best chance to create some havoc for Penn State, it coudl eb a long day for the home team.
Penn State has a history of some tough games in Ryan Field though, with the most memorable game for Penn State fans coming in 2005. With time winding down Penn State needed a late drive lead by quarterback Michael Robinson and a miraculous catch and run by a young Derrick Williams to seal a victory. That win may have propelled that Penn State team on to the great season they would have. Early in the season a loss would have had Penn State scratching their heads and thinking that they were the same old Penn State that had struggled in the seasons before. But the win gave Penn State a sense of confidence like none they had possessed for a long time. the Nittany Lions went on to have a one loss season and capped it all off with a triple overtime victory in the Orange Bowl against Florida State.
Fast forward to 2009 and Penn State is still finding themselves in position for a BCS game, although there are some obstacles still standing in the way. If this team can show the determination they have shown in the past couple games again, then Northwestern should be no problem. A win would set up a fantastic home game next week against Ohio State that could have a say in the Big Ten, and BCS, picture.
Running back Stephfon Green is listed as probable on this week's injury report, but I would expect him to see limited action, if he sees the field at all. Joe Paterno said this week that Brandon Beachum and Brent Carter were taking snaps in practice in a number of basic play formations and they figure to be the primary back-ups for Evan Royster this week.
Daryll Clark is coming off on of his finest games of the season. Last week Clark passed for four touchdowns and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Against a shaky Northwestern secondary Clark has the potential to pass for 250-300 yards and a handful of touchdowns.
Penn State enters this game ranked #12 in the BCS rankings. Northwestern is not ranked in any major poll.
For my video analysis and official prediction, watch the video below...
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