Saturday's Penn State-Minnesota game already was rich with story lines.
The Lions look to rebound from a dispiriting loss at Michigan and avenge their 2019 loss in Minneapolis. Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, who spent the 2020 season with the Lions, returns to Beaver Stadium. And Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim looks healthy and difficult to stop.
All intriguing, but the week begins with the health of each team's sixth-year quarterback. Sean Clifford left Penn State's 41-17 loss at Michigan with what coach James Franklin termed an injury. Clifford sustained a third-quarter sack and did not play in the fourth quarter.
Also last Saturday, Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan was carted off the field after sustaining what coach P.J. Fleck called an upper-body injury. According to ESPN, Morgan returned home with the team after being taken to a local hospital in Champaign, Illinois. The Gophers fell to Illinois 26-14.
Morgan has started 45 consecutive games for the Gophers, who have lost their last two. Clifford has made 39 career starts. So instead of Clifford-Morgan, this could be Drew Allar vs. Athan Kaliakmanis.
No. 16 Penn State (5-1) vs. Minnesota (4-2)
- When: 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
- Where: Beaver Stadium
- TV: ABC
- Streaming: FuboTV (Start your free trial)
- Betting Line: Penn State is a 5-point favorite
- Series History: Penn State leads 9-6
- Last Meeting: Minnesota 31-26 in 2019
- Streaks: Penn State has won three straight at home vs. Minnesota
About the Lions: The run game took a step back at Michigan and needs to make some repairs. The Wolverines held Penn State's running backs to 41 yards on 13 carries, making them irrelevant on the day. Granted, the Lions ran very few offensive plays and had no chance to establish any rhythm with Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen. But the Wolverines subdued Penn State's run game the way several teams did last season. That's concerning with another defense on the schedule that doesn't allow many points; Minnesota ranks third in the Big Ten at 11.7 points per game. Penn State's offense has scored just three touchdowns in its last two games, with back-to-back 17-point efforts. The Lions need to score, and the run game must re-establish itself.
About the Gophers: Ibrahim is Minnesota's offensive engine, no matter who plays quarterback. He has an astonishing run of 14 consecutive 100-yard games dating to the 2020 Outback Bowl. It's the nation's longest active streak. Ibrahim averages 138.8 yards per game this season and an assertive 6.67 per carry. When healthy, he's a top-5 back nationally. Unfortunately, Ibrahim has missed 13 games over the past two seasons because of injuries. That includes Minnesota's recent 20-10 loss to Purdue, a game in which the Gophers ran for 47 yards on 26 attempts. In their other five games, the Gophers averaged 264 yards per game.
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