After Rutgers’ 42-9 loss to No.1 Ohio State and Penn State’s 37-10 victory over Nebraska, the stage is set for a winner-take-all scenario with the winner of this game earning bowl eligibility. The Scarlet
Knights are coming into this game as 10.5-point underdogs according to Fanduel.
There are a lot of storylines heading into this game. The first and most obvious one is that the winner of this game earns bowl eligibility. A few other storylines for this game include the fact that this game falls on senior night, where all the seniors will be honored before the game as they take the field at SHI Stadium for the last time. If Rutgers wins this game, not only would it snap a 17-game losing streak to the Nittany Lions, but it would see Greg Schiano earn his 100th win as the Knights’ head coach.
Penn State poses an interesting foe for Rutgers. They aren’t the most prolific passing team and have earned their wins the old-fashioned way, by running the ball. Running back Kaytron Allen has 188 carries for 1,077 yards and 14 touchdowns, while his rotation partner, Nicholas Singleton, has 114 carries for 463 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Their passing offense leaves a lot to be desired, as quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has 83 completions on 123 pass attempts for 870 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions. In addition, Grunkemeyer isn’t much of a rusher either, as he has -24 rushing yards on the season when sacks were factored in.
That makes the Knights’ to-do list simple: make it so that the Nittany Lions are forced to beat you off the arm of Grunkemeyer, which is much easier said than done. If Rutgers’ defense can limit what Penn State can do on the ground, or if their offense can pile up enough points, forcing them to keep up through the air, they can dictate on their own terms what type of game this will be.
Rutgers and Penn State are set to kick off in SHI Stadium on Saturday, November 29th, at 3:30 pm. Live broadcast for the game will be available on BTN.
