After their stunning loss at the hands of Wisconsin, it's safe to say no one quite knows what to expect from here on out for the Nittany Lions. Just a year removed from an incredible tailspin, another unexpected loss with a new look squad puts them in a very unusual place. However, according to USA Today, Penn State may as well just throw in the towel already. According to Jordan Mendoza, the Nittany Lions could be frauds as they head into the teeth of their Big Ten schedule.
"Things aren't so happy in Happy Valley anymore. While Matt Campbell seems like the right guy in charge at Penn State, it's important to remember he still has ways to go before its elite" Mendoza wrote. Remember, the majority of the roster that came from Iowa State went
just 5-4 in conference play last season. It's not a super loaded team, and it got exposed as such in the first game against a Power conference opponent".
What supports Mendoza's statement isn't just the bigger picture of the loss. It's the stats that speak for themselves. Over three weeks prior to the Wisconsin game, Rocco Becht played stellar football, throwing no interceptions and nine touchdowns. However, in his first real test against Big Ten talent, he floundered, only completing 41 percent of his throws, throwing his first pick of the season, and recorded no passing touchdowns. In fact, in the transfer heavy wide receiver room, no receiver topped 70 yards in the absence of holdover Koby Howard.
Perhaps Penn State fans will chalk up that blip to irony, but the running game was no better either. A week after shredding Buffalo on the ground with 295 yards, they only had 119 combined in the Wisconsin game, averaging a putrid 3.3 yards per carry.
The overwhelmingly glaring signs reared their ugly heads on Saturday and now as a result there is doubt surrounding this team. With dates against USC and Michigan approaching fast, can this Nittany Lions team prove they're not like last year's? Or will they similarly succumb to the physicality of the Big Ten?
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State labeled "frauds" by USA today
