Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Since its last win on Sept. 13, Penn State has unraveled. The team is a conference-worst 0-5 in Big Ten play and has lost five straight games for the first time since 2020. In Terry Smith’s two games as interim head coach, the Nittany Lions’ offense struggled against two of the nation’s top five scoring defenses in tough road environments. Their uphill battle continues at Beaver Stadium against No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday (noon, Fox29). » READ MORE: Penn’s Jared Richardson is chasing history, Temple is itching for bowl eligibility, and Eastern U. is so fun to watch Penn State (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten) is in danger of dropping its sixth straight game, which would mark the program’s longest losing streak since 2003. And despite DraftKings Sportsbook listing the Nittany Lions as 14.5-point underdogs at home, offensive guard Vega Ioane said the team is rallying behind Smith’s “chop wood” motto. “Coach Terry’s message for the past couple of weeks was one chop at a time,” Ioane said. “We just got to keep going. Keep chopping at it … The light will shine on us one day.” An emotional return home The Nittany Lions will play at Beaver Stadium for the first time since the program fired James Franklin on Oct. 12. And players are unsure what atmosphere to expect. Will fans express their frustration with boos and negative chants like they did during Penn State’s losses to Oregon and Northwestern? Or will they show appreciation for the fight this team has shown through an adversity-filled season? Khalil Dinkins said the atmosphere will feel “different,” but added there is still a game to play. And after a competitive first half against the No. 1 Buckeyes, the senior tight end is confident in Penn State’s chances to earn an upset victory this Saturday. » READ MORE: When does Penn State need to have its new coach in hand? History suggests it could be soon. “We gotta get one [win],” Dinkins said. “[Competing] with Ohio State gives us confidence because we know that we’re a good team. We can obviously play with good teams. We just got to finish out the game.” Dinkins is correct. Despite Penn State’s losing record, the team has competed this season. Its first four losses were by a combined 13 points. And in a raucous road environment, it trailed Ohio State by just three points at halftime. The Nittany Lions are close. They believe they are talented enough to secure a signature win. And after all the drama and adversity Smith has led this team through, defeating the Hoosiers would simply mean more for the program and its players. “[A win] would mean a lot for the team,” linebacker Keon Wylie said. “[Coach Smith] played here. To play here, to become the head coach, to get a win at Beaver Stadium where you played, I want that for him, because he did a lot for me and my family. So I think we owe him that.” Scouting Indiana Indiana boasts the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense at 46.4 points per game. The unit is led by Fernando Mendoza, the team’s star quarterback, who ranks top 5 among Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in completion percentage, and passing touchdowns. Penn State struggled against Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Carndell Tate, two of the nation’s top wide receivers, in its 38-14 loss. Its defense faces another tough matchup this Saturday. Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt, who serve as Mendoza’s top targets, have posted eerily similar numbers through nine games. Cooper has 46 receptions for 669 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. Sarratt has 45 receptions for 609 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. “Indiana is a good team, [it is] another challenge,” Wylie said. “[Their offense] is not complex, but they do everything with technique. They do what they are supposed to do each play. But we’re up for the challenge.” Injury report Jaxon Smolik, Penn State’s dual-threat backup quarterback, will miss his second straight game. The redshirt sophomore suffered an apparent wrist injury on Oct. 18 against Iowa and missed last Saturday’s contest against Ohio State.
