Here are the 3 questions that will decide Penn State football’s White Out matchup against the Auburn Tigers
Penn State football will take on its best non-conference opponent of the year this weekend when the Nittany Lions take on No. 20 Auburn at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions are the No. 10 team in the country and will host the Tigers for their annual White Out game this weekend with both teams boasting 2-0 records.
The Tigers blew out Akron and Alabama State, scoring 122 points and allowing only 10 in the two games. They’ll be facing a steep increase in competition in the game this weekend against an opponent that has played stronger opponents with Penn State already taking on then-No. 12 Wisconsin in Week 1 and last season’s Mid-American Conference champions — the Ball State Cardinals — in Week 2.
Let’s take a look at the three questions that will decide the outcome of Saturday’s game between Penn State and Auburn.
Is Auburn’s offense for real?
The Tigers have lit up the scoreboard through two games with their 60-10 win over Akron and 62-0 win over Alabama State, but it remains to be seen just how real those performances are. They have yet to face a legitimate defense, or even an average defense, which makes it difficult to gauge what they’re capable of as a unit when that the opponent rises to that level. The team’s first test on that side of the ball will come against one of the best units it will face this season.
Penn State has been dominant defensively through two games against two formidable offenses, including one that tried to win the same way Auburn could on Saturday. The Nittany Lions were able to subdue Wisconsin’s rushing attack in Week 1, allowing their offense to do just enough to earn a victory. This weekend will be another test for Penn State, rather than its first test. On the other hand, the Tigers have yet to be tested at a level anywhere near that of the one they’re going to face off with on Saturday.
They’ll need to show they can succeed against a defense this good, and quarterback Bo Nix will need to show his improvements under new head coach Bryan Harsin can be sustained when the opponent isn’t clearly overmatched.
Can Penn State score enough?
The Nittany Lions were able to put up 44 points last week against Ball State but their opponents will be much tougher this week. Auburn has a fast, athletic defense that can hang with most of Penn State’s athleticism at the skill positions, along with pass rushers who can be disruptive when redshirt senior quarterback Sean Clifford is in the pocket.
Linebacker Owen Pappoe should be the focal point of Penn State’s game plan with his ability to get after the quarterback and to drop into coverage. Pappoe is all over the field for the Tigers and will likely be the most disruptive player on the field for the Tigers. Cornerback Roger McCreary should be tasked with shadowing Penn State wide receiver in what should be one of the best individual matchups in the game.
Auburn has plenty of talent beyond those two as well, and is good enough to stifle Penn State’s offense. In all likelihood, the Nittany Lions will have to score more than the 16 points they put up against Wisconsin in the season opener, but won’t be explosive enough to match the 44 points they scored against Ball State.
Penn State will need Clifford to rise to the occasion and put some points on the board this weekend because the Auburn defense will present one of the toughest challenges he’ll see all season.
How will the Nittany Lions’ defense handle a more explosive offense?
Penn State’s defense smothered its opponents in its first two games, but the Auburn offense will present a different type of challenge. Auburn quarterback Bo Nix is the most mobile quarterback the team has faced this year and the weapons around him are more prone to breaking off big gains than previous opponents.
That starts with Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter at running back who are both explosive runners with the speed to break away in the open field, and the strength to break through arm tackles. The Nittany Lions did a good job against the Wisconsin rushing offense, but Nix’s ability to run opens up a dimension they haven’t faced yet this season. Defenders will have to keep their eyes on the quarterback more than they have this year and make sure he isn’t the one that carves them up on the ground.
His options on the outside aren’t as good as the running backs, but they’re still talented receivers. Tariq Castro-Fields and Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback will be tasked with slowing down Shedrick Jackson, Demetris Robertson and the rest of the Auburn receivers. The Nittany Lions’ corners are good enough to get the job done, but the Tiger receivers are also talented enough to haul in passes against good coverage.
The battle between the Auburn offense and the Penn State defense — and those matchups — will likely decide the fate of Saturday night’s game
This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
