What is the story about?
Penn St. Nittany Lions (3-5; 0-5 Big Ten) vs #2 Indiana Hoosiers (8-0; 5-0 Big Ten)
12:00 p.m. ET, November 8—Fox
Beaver Stadium (Capacity: 106,573 / University Park PA)
| Penn State | Value (Nat’l Rank) | Value (Nat’l Rank) | Indiana | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Offense (ypg) | 155.2 (69) | 80.0 (4) | Rushing Defense (ypg) |  |
| Passing Offense (ypg) | 180.4 (112) | 158.3 (18) | Passing Defense (ypg) | |
| Pass Efficiency | 125.07 (95) | 104.81 (8) | Pass Efficiency Defense | |
| Total Offense (ypg) | 335.6 (105) | 248.3 (7) | Total Defense (ypg) | |
| Scoring Offense (ppg) | 31.5 (T – 49) | 10.78 (3) | Scoring Defense (ppg) | |
| Rushing Defense (ypg) | 159.4 (T – 89) | 245.7 (6) | Rushing Offense (ypg) | |
| Passing Defense (ypg) | 166.4 (14) | 259.2 (32) | Passing Offense (ypg) | Push |
| Pass Efficiency Defense | 132.25 (69) | 186.1 (2) | Pass Efficiency | |
| Total Defense (ypg) | 325.8 (35) | 504.9 (3) | Total Offense (ypg) | |
| Scoring Defense (ppg) | 21.75 (T – 41) | 46.4 (1) | Scoring Offense (ppg) | |
| Punt Return Defense (ypr) | 8.57 (82) | 18.06 (10) | Punt Return Yds (ypr) | |
| Punt Return Yds (ypr) | 6.54 (92) | 7.0 (T – 64) | Punt Return Defense (ypr) | |
| Net Punting Yds (ypp) | 42.04 (21) | 39.94 (60) | Net Punting Yds (ypp) |  |
| Kickoff Return Yds (ypr) | 21.0 (T – 61) | 18.53 (43) | Kickoff Return Defense (ypr) | Push |
| Kickoff Return Defense (ypr) | 20.3 (74) | 21.31 (58) | Kickoff Return Yds (ypr) | Push |
| Turnover Margin | +.25 (50) | +1.33 (2) | Turnover Margin | |
| Passes Had Intercepted (total) | 6 (T – 54) | 13 (T – 5) | Passes Intercepted (total) | |
| Passes Intercepted (total) | 5 (T – 78) | 5 (T – 32) | Passes Had Intercepted (total) | |
| Penalty Yds/Game | 31.12 (6) | 30.56 (5) | Penalty Yds/Game | Push |
| Sacks (spg) | 1.75 (T – 93) | .78 (T – 8) | Sacks Allowed (spg) | |
| Sacks Allowed (spg) | 1.38 (T – 30) | 3.22 (T – 8) | Sacks (spg) | Push |
| Tackles for Loss (tpg) | 5.9 (T – 51) | 3.22 (5) | Tackles for Loss Allowed (tpg) | |
| Tackles for Loss Allowed (tpg) | 4.25 (T – 23) | 8.4 (2) | Tackles for Loss (tpg) | Push |
| Redzone Offense (% season) | 87.9% (T – 45) | Redzone Defense (% season) | Push | |
| Redzone Defense (% season) | 86.2% (T – 88) | 89.8% (34) | Redzone Offense (% season) | |
| Redzone TD % (season) | 66.67% | 15.38% | Redzone TD % Defense (season) | |
| Redzone TD % Defense (season) | 62.07% | 75.51% | Redzone TD % (season) | |
| 3rd Down Conv. % (season) | 43.1% (45) | 23.7% (2) | 3rd Down Defense % (season) | |
| 3rd Down Defense % (season) | 42.3% (T – 102) | 58.2% (1) | 3rd Down Conv. % (season) | |
| 4th Down Conv. % (season) | 57.1% (T – 62) | 52.9% (T – 64) | 4th Down Defense % (season) | Push |
| 4th Down Defense % (season) | 63.2% (T – 106) | 42.9% (T – 103) | 4th Down Conv. % (season) | Push |
| 1st Downs (season) | 156 (T – 102) | 107 (T – 3) | 1st Downs Allowed (season) | |
| 1st Downs Allowed (season) | 136 (17) | 242 (1) | 1st Downs (season) | Push |
| Time of Possession (mpg) | 28 (116) | 34 (4) | Time of Possession (mpg) | |
| Strength of Schedule | 54 | 41 | Strength of Schedule | Push |
| Difference | > 25 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 50 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 75 | in | National Rank | |
| Difference | > 100 | in | National Rank | |
Note:
All of the above rankings are taken directly from the NCAA except for strength of schedule, which is taken from Power Rankings.
The Redzone TD% and Redzone TD% Defense are calculated by me and not ranked by the NCAA. Determining who has the advantage in these categories is strictly my arbitrary judgment.
Quick thoughts:
Oof, I don’t know when I’ve seen only one chipmunk logo (God bless Gabriel Nwosu), but this shouldn’t be very surprising to those actually paying attention. It’s not just that Penn
State’s numbers are mediocre – and that is the way to describe most of them, they’re not horrible, they’re just meh. But Indiana? Their stats are, simply, elite across the board, in all three phases of the game.
What a time to be alive.
More behind some of these stats:
- Indiana’s red zone defense is filthy; they’ve faced only 13 red zone attempts in 8 games, and allowed 10 scores – but 8 of those ten were field goals (only two red zone TDs allowed so far this year)
- Penn State, on the other hand, has faced 29 red zone attempts and allowed scores on 25 of them, including 7 field goals (allowing 18 red zone touchdowns)
- The Nittany Lion offense has had 33 red zone trips and scored on 29 of them, with 22 touchdowns and 7 field goals; the Hoosier offense has had a whopping 49 red zone trips in 8 games and scored on 44 of them, with 37 touchdowns and 7 field goals
- PSU has attempted conversions on 21 fourth downs, and continued their possessions on 12 of them; IU has attempted 14 fourth down conversions and converted on 6 of them
- The Penn State defense has faced 19 fourth down conversion attempts and allowed 12 conversions; the Indiana defense has faced 17 conversions and allowed just 9
- The Nittany Lions have faced 8 punt returns to the Hoosiers’ 7; on the flip side, PSU has returned 13 punts, while Indiana has returned 18
- On kickoffs, Penn State has faced 10 kickoff returns and Indiana has faced 15, while the Nittany Lions have attempted 14 kickoff returns to Indiana’s 8.
What say you all?
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