Overview
- Penn State enters at 3-5 (0-5 Big Ten) on a five-game slide, facing 9-0 Indiana, which leads the nation in scoring at about 46.4 points per game and features receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt producing 91 catches, 1,278 yards and 18 touchdowns.
- After Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate combined for 247 yards and three touchdowns, Smith said cornerback play "will get fixed" this week and he will be more hands-on with the position group.
- With starter Drew Allar out for the season, freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer has totaled 238 passing yards with three interceptions in two starts, and Smith vowed to emphasize play-action, intermediate throws and downfield shots.
- Smith said freshman wideout Koby Howard will see increased snaps after logging Penn State’s longest reception in each of the past two games, as the staff seeks more vertical production.
- Penn State’s pass rush has sagged to 14 sacks in eight games after 44 last season, highlighting defensive slippage as Indiana arrives with an efficient attack; separately, the Nov. 15 game at Michigan State is set for 3:30 p.m. with TV to be determined between CBS and Big Ten Network.