The Penn State Nittany Lions‘ struggles continue as they lost to the USC Trojans with a final score of 31-23. This loss drops the Nittany Lions to 3-3 on the season, and they are now on a three-game losing streak. To make matters much worse, they are also 0-3 in conference play, and things seem hopeless for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions fought hard but could not get the White Out win, and they will now travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines in Week 7. The Wolverines are having a rough year, but Ann Arbor is very tough to win at, and the Lions have a chance to have a losing record after Saturday. But for now, let’s focus on the loss in Week 6 to the Trojans and what went right versus wrong.
Analyzing the Nittany Lions’ Performance
Offense Looks Very Solid Despite the Loss
Unlike the other two losses, this loss is not to blame on the Nittany Lions’ offense. Rocco Becht looked solid, completing 21/32 passes for 289 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and zero turnovers. Becht and the Lions put up 23 points against a Trojan team that struggles defensively. With Koby Howard hurt, Chase Sowell really stepped it up for the Nittany Lions with four catches for 95 yards. However, they did not score a touchdown in the second half, so the offense does not get a get out of jail free card completely. But again, the offense was most certainly not to blame for the loss, and they looked far better than they did last week.
Pass Rush Struggles Lead To Trojans Win
If there was one thing to blame for the Nittany Lions’ loss to the Trojans, it was the pass rush. The Lions not only gave up 31 points, but they also gave up 301 passing yards to Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava. The Lions also allowed 250 receiving yards from three Trojans wide receivers. The pass rush is absolutely to blame for the Nittany Lions’ loss, and it is crazy considering the Nittany Lions have been known for their great defense all these years.
The Lions’ Run Game Is Nowhere To Be Found
Now, we get into what was a struggle all year, which continues, and that is the running game. Carson Hansen carried the ball 14 times for just 28 yards. That is two yards per carry, and James Peoples also had just 20 yards on seven carries. That forces Becht to throw because those are horrendous numbers.
A running back should have those stats in the first quarter, and the fact that the Lions finished with those stats should do something. The Lions did lose two great running backs to the NFL, but to run the ball that bad is unheard of and makes the Lions have to throw the ball basically the entire game. It is not too late to turn things around, but the Lions showed that they have to solely lean on the passing game for them to get points on the board.
The Nittany Lions are having one of their worst seasons in recent memory and will look to turn that around when they travel to Michigan for another Big Ten showdown. Penn State has a serious chance of having a losing record after this week and obviously losing recruits. Do you think the Nittany Lions can beat the Wolverines, who have also had their fair share of struggles?
Main Image: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
