It will be back to the drawing board once again for Penn State after a third straight loss to the USC Trojans. It is obviously disappointing that the team that was once 3-0 is now sitting at the .500 mark, but it was nice to see them fight against a ranked team.
The Nittany Lions defense knew they were in for a battle against one of the best offenses in the Big Ten. They couldn’t do much to slow down the Trojans, just like most of the other teams they played, but they were able to find a rhythm on the other side of the ball.
Penn State’s offense moved the ball consistently and scored a respectable amount of points for the first time in three weeks. But despite all their efforts, the Nittany Lions still lost 31-23 and fell to 3-3 on the season.
Here are five storylines to follow this week as Penn State tries to end its losing streak.
Koby come back
Wide receiver Koby Howard has been out for what feels like an eternity, and head coach Matt Campbell let reporters know last week that he will be out a little longer. It looks like he won’t be back until after the team’s bye week, and unfortunately the season may already be lost at that point.
The Nittany Lions offense finally got back on track against USC, but the arrival was a bit delayed after back-to-back losses. After seeing how productive the offense was on Saturday, it’s fair to wonder just how high the ceiling would have been had Howard stayed healthy.
Lion pride
There are no moral victories at Penn State, that’s for sure, but the team showed exactly what they’re made of on Saturday. It was arguably the most spirited performance of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the team took on the first ranked opponent of the year.
The Nittany Lions may not have come out on top, but their effort proved what kind of character they have. They have not given up on this season, and they will scratch and claw every week until the final whistle sounds in December.
Mental reset
This team likely needs a break from football after how strenuous these last three weeks have been. Not only has Penn State played in a handful of tough games, but everyone associated with the team has had to hear the noise from the outside during the three-game losing streak.
Whether the Nittany Lions beat Michigan or not, they need some time to rest their bodies and minds, and that’s exactly what they’ll get after this week. Everyone on the team should use the bye week to get as far away from football as possible, and hopefully that will reenergize and refocus the group when they return.
Grass isn’t greener
This Saturday we’ll get a matchup between two of the new Big Ten coaches, and neither one of them is having the success they thought they would. Campbell and Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham were brought over from weaker conferences, and they are quickly finding out about life in the Big Ten.
It will be interesting to see which one comes out on top in a game that means far less than anyone thought it would heading into the season.
Patience is key
We talked earlier this season about how the running back room was still undefined, but now it seems as if it’s been solidified. Running back Quinton Martin Jr. only received three carries against Northwestern, and he didn’t touch the ball once this past weekend against USC.
While he would have hoped to be a bigger part of the rushing attack, he should have more opportunities later in the season or next year. Martin Jr. has a ton of talent, so he just needs to stay the course and trust that his ability will shine through whenever his number is called.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 5 Penn State storylines after three straight conference losses
