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Keys To The Game: Nebraska vs Penn State

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Samuel Rowland | Last updated Nov 22, 2025 9:07 AM ET

Nebraska takes on Penn State tonight in Beaver Stadium. The matchup is also significant because Matt Rhule is back at his alma mater. But the Nittany Lions won’t make it a happy homecoming. According to ESPN, Terry Smith’s team is favored by nine and a half points. However, the Cornhuskers could pull off a major upset by doing these things.

Escape The Pocket

In his first game as Nebraska’s starting quarterback, TJ Lateef exceeded expectations. The four-star freshman was able to complete 13 out of his 15 passes and throw for three touchdowns against UCLA. But will he be able to spark the Husker offense in Happy Valley? It’s hard to say. The Compton product will be out of his element at Beaver Stadium, which provides the perfect opportunity for Penn State’s edge rushers to attack Lateef. Jim Knowles will have confidence in his defense after the unit turned in a five-sack day against Michigan State. However, Lateef can neutralize the Nittany Lions by using his feet. In his five carries against the Bruins, he had 31 rushing yards. This could play right into Dana Holgorsen’s hands. The Nittany Lions haven’t been able to contain mobile quarterbacks this season. Iowa quarterback Mark Grownowski rushed for 130 yards, and Nico Iamaleava had 128 rushing yards against Penn State.

Get The Run Game Going

In order to have success against Penn State, Nebraska must rely on a heavy dose of Emmett Johnson. Two weeks ago, the junior rushed for 129 yards against UCLA and had three receiving touchdowns against the Bruins. These numbers should give him the confidence to put together another breakout performance in Beaver Stadium. It also helps that the Nittany Lions’ run defense has been poor this season. According to Nittany Lions Wire, Penn State’s defense “ranks 70th nationally in terms of rush yards allowed.” The Nittany Lions can reverse this trend, but it will take special contributions from both senior defensive end Zane Durant and junior linebacker Amare Campbell. The two players have combined for 5 and a half sacks and 59 total tackles.

In a category of his own.

The numbers back it up, but the way his teammates talk about him tells the real story.@Emmett21Johnson is the nation’s best running back.@HuskerFootball x HEJ$MAN pic.twitter.com/VzQUSuORpY

— Huskers Radio Network (@HuskersRadio) November 18, 2025

Sack The Quarterback

Can the Blackshirts get to Ethan Grunkemeyer? Penn State has allowed the freshman to get sacked only one time this season. This is concerning for the Cornhuskers, as they have only had 18 sacks on the year. But this could change tonight. But it will have to come down to the plays that Williams Nwaneri will be able to make. The former Missouri Tiger has been a bright spot on the season with 2.5 sacks on the year and nine tackles. The second-best weapon that the Cornhuskers have in their arsenal would have to be former Oklahoma Sooner Dasan McCullough. He’s also been a valuable part of the Huskers’ pass rush with two sacks. However, the Nittany Lions should also watch out for Keona Davis to make an impact. Against UCLA, the sophomore batted down a pass and had one sack.

Stop The Run

Nebraska will face the best running back tandem in the Big Ten. Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton lead Penn State’s offense with a combined total of 1,537 yards. This is a matchup nightmare for the Cornhuskers. John Butler’s Blackshirts are currently ranked 94th in total yards allowed. This statistic shouldn’t change in Beaver Stadium, but there are ways that Nebraska can halt the Nittany Lions’ ground game. The first step is to utilize Nebraska’s linebackers. Javin Wright’s experience should help in this regard. The seventh-year senior has been able to anchor the Cornhuskers’ defense with 72 tackles and almost 8 tackles for loss. However, if the Huskers truly want to key in on stopping the run, they’ll have to continue to stay excellent in pass defense. Addison Williams’ group has cemented themselves as one of the best secondaries in the country this season.