Penn State heads into Saturday night at Beaver Stadium trying to make it three straight wins, and the matchup with Minnesota comes with a few spots that could swing things either way.
The Nittany Lions are 5-4, and so are P.J. Fleck’s Golden Gophers.
Minnesota has already shown it can handle quality opponents, beating Washington, Michigan and Iowa. The Gophers have also taken an overtime loss to Indiana and dropped a game to unbeaten UCLA last Saturday in Minneapolis.
One of the biggest Penn State questions centers on the secondary depth behind the starters. Reserve cornerbacks Ibn McDaniels and Jahmir Joseph handled themselves well in the Lions’ 28-25 win over Washington last Saturday in Seattle.
McDaniels, a transfer from Syracuse, picked off a pass in the second half. Joseph was credited with just one solo tackle, but that number doesn’t tell the whole story; he was strong in coverage.
Minnesota’s passing game brings its own pressure point. Drake Lindsey has been steady through nine games, throwing for 1,797 yards and 11 touchdowns, though he has been intercepted seven times.
Over the Gophers’ last three games against Iowa, Indiana and UCLA, Lindsey has totaled 462 passing yards and two touchdowns while also throwing two interceptions. Penn State’s cornerback group is a strength, but the Lions have had trouble generating consistent pressure on the quarterback, which makes Lindsey a key figure on the road.
Penn State may also need help up front. Reserve tackle Garrett Sexton played most of the second half on the left side after Goodman dealt with an undisclosed injury. Sexton and Owen Aliciene are the top backups to Goodman, and the Lions could need both against Minnesota.
On the other side, Minnesota’s defensive front is anchored by former Shippensburg High School standout Anthony Smith, a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year. With Smith drawing attention, TJ Bush Jr. is in the middle of a breakout season.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Got A Scary Jack Ham Update
Penn State fans got a jolt before kickoff when Hall of Famer Jack Ham was hospitalized in Seattle after a medical emergency ahead of a Penn State game. Ham, who starred for the Nittany Lions before becoming a longtime Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, has remained a familiar presence around the program for years as a color commentator on Penn State football radio broadcasts.
Matt Campbell later offered a reassuring update, saying Ham is making great progress and remains in stable condition. For a fan base that has heard Hams voice and seen his connection to the program for so long, the news brought an immediate wave of concern, and then some relief as his condition improved. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Got Another Big NFL Reminder This Weekend
Former Penn State players kept popping up all over the NFL scoreboard in Week 9, another reminder of how much pro talent has come out of Happy Valley. Kaytron Allen chipped in on special teams for the Miami Dolphins with a 46-yard fake punt run and picked up his first career reception, while Saquon Barkley found the end zone for the Philadelphia Eagles. Elsewhere, Parker Washington hauled in a touchdown for the Jacksonville Jaguars, adding to a weekend that kept Penn State fans checking box scores well after the college games were over.
The biggest late-game swing came from Juwan Johnson, who caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime for the New Orleans Saints, while Dani Dennis-Sutton added tackles and a sack for the Green Bay Packers. It was the kind of scattered but steady showing that underscores how deep Penn States NFL footprint remains, with alumni contributing in every phase and at every level. For a fan base that tracks its former stars closely, this was one of those weekends that made the pro schedule feel a little like a reunion. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Bowl Projections Just Sparked A Travel Debate Among Fans
Penn States latest win pushed the Nittany Lions to five victories and put them within striking distance of bowl eligibility with three games left, which is exactly the point in the season when the projection chatter starts to heat up. National outlets have already begun slotting Penn State into a range of possible postseason destinations, with names like the Fenway Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Dukes Mayo Bowl and First Responder Bowl all showing up in the early guesses.
The travel conversation is part of the fun, but it is also a reminder of how much can still change before any real planning begins. Depending on how Penn State finishes, the matchup and location could shift along with it, and every projection remains speculative until bowl eligibility is officially secured. For fans, the next few weeks will decide not just whether there is a bowl trip, but what kind of trip it might turn into. [Read more 🡒]