IU looks for 1st Penn State win

After recording their worst loss of the season against Wisconsin, IU (4-6, 2-4) will hit the road this Nov. 17 to face Penn State (6-4, 4-2), a team IU has yet to defeat.

But after 15 losses against the Nittany Lions, the Hoosiers will see a new Penn State coach opposite them on the sideline.

After the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the Bill O’Brien era of Penn State football began on Jan. 7.

Though the Nittany Lions started the season with two losses, they’ve been able to turn around and win six of their last eight games, largely due to their success on defense.

PSU ranks 20th in the nation in defense, keeping opponents to 18.6 points per game.

Even, with a new coaching staff, the defense is still recognizable to the Paterno days, IU Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell said.

“They are very similar from what they were last year,” Littrell said. “Coach O’Brien has done an unbelievable job of the situation. Not only that, but the football team has responded well, and they’ve really been playing some solid games on defense.”

Penn State is known as “Linebacker U” for producing great linebackers such as Paul Posluszny, Sean Lee, Dan Connor and NaVorro Bowman.

This year is no different with seniors Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti, as well as junior Glenn Carson leading the team in tackles.

“They have got some good linebackers,” sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman said. “They run pretty well and they come up and hit hard.”

IU’s players and coaches said with Beaver Stadium’s 106,000 fans, winning there is never easy, but it’s also something the Hoosiers can’t focus on if they hope to win Saturday.

“You never really look at the stands while you are playing, but you need to just do your job,” freshman quarterback Nate Sudfeld said. “Obviously it’s going to be louder, but we are just going to have to focus and do what we do.”