Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Face Big Road Challenge at Penn State
11/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 1, 2004
Northwestern vs. Penn State Live Game Coverage
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NU Game Notes (vs. Penn State)
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the third consecutive week, Northwestern is preparing for another nationally touted defense, taking on Penn State at 11 a.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium. After facing the nation's second-ranked defense in Wisconsin and the 35th-ranked defense in Purdue the past two weeks, the Wildcats will be challenged by the nation's seventh-ranked defense this Saturday. ESPN Plus is televising the game to various Big Ten markets around the country. Locally, WBBM-TV (CBS, Ch. 2) is televising the contest.
Penn State's defense has excelled in all phases of the game in 2004. The Nittany Lions rank 31st in rushing defense (117.1 ypg), seventh in pass defense (158.3 ypg), 17th in pass efficiency defense (104.3 rating) and 13th in scoring defense (15.4 ppg). PSU's defensive unit has notched 58 tackles for loss, which includes 16 sacks, and nine interceptions. A total of 17 different players have at least one TFL for Penn State, led by 10 TFL's from defensive end Tamba Hali. Linebacker Paul Posluszny leads the Lions with 66 tackles (7.5 TFL's). Linebacker Derek Wake (40 tackles, 3.5 TFL's), along with linemen Matthew Rice (39 tackles, 5.5 TFL's), Scott Paxson (22 tackles, 5.5 TFL's) and Hali have accounted for 24.5 of the Nittany Lions' 58 TFL's.
Penn State's total defensive yards allowed figure (275.4 ypg) is its best since 1978 when the Lions allowed only 203.9 ypg en route to an 11-0 regular season. PSU has not allowed more than 21 points in a game this season and surrendered just 10 touchdowns in eight games.
Offensively, injuries to quarterback Zack Mills and quarterback/receiver Michael Robinson have altered Penn State's attack of late. Mills did not play (concussion) in the Lions' 21-10 loss at Ohio State on Saturday, leaving Robinson at the offensive controls. He gained 58 of Penn State's 177 rushing yards, and completed 7-of-21 passes for 69 yards. Tony Hunt, the Nittany Lions' leading rusher this year (70.3 ypg), finished with 85 yards on 20 carries and a TD against the Buckeyes.
With their 13-10 come-from-behind win over Purdue, the Wildcats now must win at least three of their four remaining games to earn a second consecutive postseason bowl berth. Northwestern, which is is still in search of its first road win in 2004, plays three of its last four games away from Ryan Field, where it has won four single-season contests in a row for the first time since 1996.
(For the complete set of notes, see the PDF link above.)
