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Opponent Preview Christian Hackenberg from the outset. The former blue-chip recruit is one of the Big Ten's leading Noon ET • Beaver Stadium (University Park, Pa.) • TV: Big Ten Network passers, buoyed by O'Brien's NFL-ish passing-game philosophies and the presence of one of college football's best BY BRIAN NEUBERT Big Ten play and likely wide receivers in Allen BNeubert@ wearing down with Robinson, who just set GoldandBlack.com only 60-some scholarPenn State's single-seaship players. son receiving yardage he drop-off Penn State is 5-4, record. that was conwith the looming sixBut he's still 18 years sidered inevitable win threshold irreleold and has dealt with in the wake of Penn vant as it remains postthe inconsistencies that State's massive season-ineligible. But come with youth. scholarship losses it is only 2-3 in the Big The Nittany Lions' has begun to really Ten, its only wins being red-zone scoring woes take hold. a four-overtime thriller — they've scored on "I don't know over a Michigan team just 14-of-21 such opwhere to start," that's since tail-spun Penn State portunities in Big Ten said Nate Bauer, Penn State and a single-overtime Christian Hackenberg is one of only two true freshman quarterbacks to start games, five missed who covers the Bill Belton leads the Nittany Lions in rushing, gaining 715 yards in win over Illinois, which in the Big Ten this season. Purdue's Danny Etling is the other. chances in the past Nittany Lions for nine games. He also has rushed for four TDs. remains winless in three games — are a the second half. BlueWhiteIllustratships, the fallout from the events league play. Both those games unit-wide issue, but do not rePurdue has struggled tered.com. "Penn State has some of the past two or three years were played in State College. ribly this season, its issues not flect well on the quarterback. good players, to the point that have come to fruition in a variety As for the Big Ten losses, limited solely to inexperience Nor do the 21 sacks Penn State I would go as far as to say that of ways." each of them on the road, Penn at quarterback, but that being has allowed, many of which are Penn State's (starting) 22 line up That affect, coupled with the State got flat-out handled in thought to be products of indefairly well against many of its op- loss of the outstanding senior each of them, a 44-24 loss at In- part of it. Penn State has endured cisiveness under center. ponents this season. class that led the Nittany Lions diana; a 63-14 loss at Ohio State, It's certainly not Hacken"The problem is that it's not to eight wins in Bill O'Brien's de- which represented the worst some of the same at the posiberg's fault that Penn State a 22-man game. It's a 50-man but season in 2012, has left Penn loss in program history; and a tion, though unlike the Boilerfumbles, a lot. It's lost 11, its game, and between transfers, State with a chance for a win- 24-10 loss to Minnesota, a game makers, who turned to Danny running backs being largely rekids kicked off the team, poor ning season, but struggling in in which neither team scored in Etling in-season, the Nittany Lions were committed to rookie sponsible. Fullback-type runner recruiting and limited scholar- Game 10: Penn State penn state has struggled in big ten play T GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 10 • 9