Penn State hosts No. 19 USC on Saturday evening in University Park, Pennsylvania, aiming to halt a conference skid during the program’s annual White Out matchup at Beaver Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on NBC. The Nittany Lions enter the Week 6 contest at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten after back-to-back losses to Wisconsin and Northwestern, Sportsnet Pittsburgh reported. Meanwhile, USC arrives with a 5-1 mark and a 2-1 record in conference play following a 25-21 victory over Washington.
Penn State Seeks Defensive Answers
Penn State is searching for stability following a 34-13 blowout defeat against Northwestern last week. In that game, the Nittany Lions surrendered 413 rushing yards, which Sports Illustrated reported as the fourth-highest single-game total allowed in program history. Northwestern became only the fifth opponent to run for at least 400 yards against Penn State since 1947.
Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn shouldered blame for the breakdown, stating that practices leading into the Northwestern game were not physical enough, according to Sports Illustrated. The Nittany Lions were outgained on the ground by 365 yards as their own rushing attack managed just 48 yards on 22 carries.
A bright spot on defense has been redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas. Against Northwestern, Rojas registered career highs with 12 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss along with a sack, Sports Illustrated reported. The York Daily Record noted that Rojas leads the team with 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions, giving him more sacks than Penn State’s entire defensive line combined.
Offensive Questions and USC’s Firepower
Penn State’s offense has also encountered difficulty in league play. Quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against Northwestern, with 93 yards and the score coming in the fourth quarter when the team trailed by three possessions, Sports Illustrated reported. Becht has thrown three interceptions over his past two outings, according to Trojans Wire.
With star wideout Koby Howard sidelined by injury, transfer receiver Sowell has become Becht’s primary target. Sowell caught five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown against Northwestern and has averaged 5.5 receptions and 69 yards per contest since Howard was hurt, Sports Illustrated reported.
Penn State now faces a potent Trojans offense led by quarterback Jayden Maiava. The USC signal-caller enters Saturday completing 68.6 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions on the season, according to Sportsnet Pittsburgh. Trojans Wire reported that USC will also lean on running back King Miller alongside contributions from freshmen Luke Wafle, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Ethan Feaster, while defensive back Jontez Williams seeks his first interception with the program.
Viewing Information and Betting Odds
Saturday’s contest will be broadcast nationally on NBC, with streaming options on Peacock, DIRECTV and Fubo, according to Sportsnet Pittsburgh. The York Daily Record reported that Noah Eagle will provide play-by-play commentary, joined by analyst Todd Blackledge and sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen.
According to BetMGM odds reported by the York Daily Record as of Friday, Oct. 9, Penn State was listed as a -120 favorite on the moneyline, while USC was set at +100.
Whether Penn State can repair its run defense and spark its passing attack under the lights in front of a capacity crowd remains the central question as both teams push forward in the competitive Big Ten race.
