Despite Early Struggles, Penn State Will Be a Force in Big Ten Conference Play

It hasn’t been pretty. Anything but, in fact.

They needed a field goal on the game’s final play to defeat Central Florida. And Saturday’s home opener against Akron was marked by sluggishness and turnovers in a 21-3 victory.

But make no mistake: Penn State will make waves in the Big Ten this fall. 

Due to the ongoing sanctions associated with the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the Nittany Lions are not eligible for postseason play. But James Franklin’s bunch has enough talent to make life miserable for the league’s deeper, more experienced teams and win a game or two that the squad wasn’t expected to entering 2014.

On Saturday, sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg followed up his program single-game passing record against Central Florida by going 22-for-36 with 319 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. It was his sixth career game with 300-plus yards, tying a Penn State career record.

Hackenberg must improve his decision-making: a fourth-quarter red-zone interception thrown off his back foot drew the ire of ESPN color analyst Ed Cunningham.

“You can’t make that throw,” Cunningham said on the ESPN2 telecast. “Not in the fourth quarter. Not when you’re up 11.”

But the Penn State quarterback's arm strength and mobility are impressive, and he has a pair of talented receiving targets in sophomore Geno Lewis and redshirt freshman DaeSean Hamilton.

Against Central Florida, the pair combined for 338 yards receiving. According to Mark Wogenrich of The Morning Call, they became the first pair of Penn State receivers to finish a game with more than 150 yards receiving apiece.

They both had solid follow-ups Saturday: Lewis had six catches for 98 yards, while Hamilton had seven receptions for 69 yards as Penn State pulled away late from an improving Terry Bowden-coached Akron team. In addition, junior tight end Jesse James had 57 yards and two touchdowns. 

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

An improving Nittany Lion defense held the Zips to three points, 2.8 yards per carry and 5-of-17 on third down. While the Lions’ linebacker corps has some questions outside of senior Mike Hull (who had 11 tackles and a sack Saturday) and sophomore Nyeem Wartman, the defensive line and secondary are improving.

With Rutgers, UMass and Northwestern on the schedule next, the Lions could easily be 5-0 entering an Oct. 11 visit to Michigan.

The Lions will avoid Big Ten West contenders like Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin and will also host Ohio State (on Oct. 25) and Michigan State (in the Nov. 29 regular-season finale).

With Ohio State starting freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, Happy Valley should be very hostile. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the Lions’ defense give Barrett and the Buckeyes a major challenge.

And after taking Vanderbilt to back-to-back nine-win seasons, Coach Franklin has proven his mettle in difficult situations.

Penn State can’t go to a bowl this season. But that doesn’t mean you won’t hear from the Nittany Lions this fall.