Penn State's Strengths Directly Attack Nebraska’s Biggest Weaknesses

Back in August, Penn State opened the 2025 season ranked No. 2 nationally and carrying legitimate National Championship aspirations. Three months later, the picture looks dramatically different. The Nittany Lions are 4–6 (1–6 Big Ten), operating under an interim head coach, and navigating the final stretch of the year without former five-star quarterback Drew Allar, who was lost for the season.

But despite the record and the midseason turmoil, this is no ordinary sub-.500 team. Penn State still boasts one of the most talented rosters in the country, with NFL bodies across the offensive line, a punishing backfield, and a defensive front capable of overwhelming opponents week in and week out. And in recent weeks, they’ve begun playing their best football of the season, pushing No. 2 Indiana to the brink and handling a Michigan State team that nearly stole a win in Lincoln back in September.

For Nebraska, that resurgence matters. A desperate, physically gifted Penn State team with nothing to lose is often more dangerous than the one that opened the season in the top five. They’re no longer overlooking opponents; instead, they’re trying to prove something as they close out the year.

Even with a midseason coaching change, Penn State hasn’t drifted far from the identity that made it a preseason top-two team. Before James Franklin was fired, the Nittany Lions were churning out 169 rushing yards per game (5.0 yards per carry) while allowing 144.3 per game (3.6 per carry) on defense.

After the switch to an interim coach, and admittedly a tougher schedule in front of them, the numbers dipped only slightly on one side and spiked on the other. Penn State is still running the ball with purpose, averaging 146.3 rushing yards per game (3.7 per carry) over the last four contests, and their defensive struggles have come more from the quality of opponents than a lack of physicality, now allowing 154.5 rushing yards per game (5.2 per carry).

The broader point is, their philosophy hasn’t changed. The Nittany Lions still want to run downhill, lean on their offensive line, and punish teams at the point of attack. And defensively, while the results vary, the front seven is built to win in the trenches — exactly where Nebraska has struggled most this season.

This is where the matchup tilts. Penn State’s greatest strengths still align directly with Nebraska’s most glaring weaknesses, and the numbers on both sides of the coaching change, for the most part, reinforce that.

With that in mind, Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler has his work cut out for him. Through ten games, the Huskers are allowing 161.6 rushing yards per game on nearly 4.7 yards per carry, a concerning trend against a Penn State offense that runs the ball more than 36 times per contest. The formula is no secret; if Nebraska can’t hold up at the point of attack, the rest of the game plan may not matter.

Through the air, however, the matchup tilts heavily in Nebraska’s favor. The Huskers possess one of the nation’s best secondaries, and they’ll face a Penn State passing offense averaging just 178.9 yards per game with only 12 touchdowns on the season. If Nebraska can force the Nittany Lions into obvious passing situations, they should be able to control the game defensively.

On the other side of the ball, Penn State’s rush defense presents one of Nebraska’s biggest challenges of the year. The Nittany Lions have allowed just 11 rushing touchdowns and 4.1 yards per carry, a stout front that rarely gets pushed around. For Husker running back Emmett Johnson, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, this may be his toughest test yet. Nebraska will undoubtedly lean on him again, as they have all season, but the real question is whether the offensive line can create enough space against a front that knows exactly what’s coming.

At the end of the day, this matchup comes down to strength-on-strength. Nebraska knows what Penn State wants to do, Penn State knows what Nebraska must do, and whichever team wins the battle on the ground will control this game. If the Huskers can force the Nittany Lions into an uncomfortable, pass-heavy script, they’ll give themselves every chance to steal one on the road.

With both teams rolling out backup quarterbacks, expect a clock-control game where Nebraska is ultimately asked to beat Penn State at its own style of football. Doing so wouldn’t just secure an eighth win; it would offer real proof that this program is learning how to win games it historically hasn’t.

Yes, Penn State sits at 4–6. But Nebraska enters as a near double-digit underdog, too. If Vegas doesn’t love the Huskers’ chances, why should you? Because this team has more to fight for than ever. A running back chasing national honors, seniors playing their final snaps, and a staff intent on building real momentum for 2026. The location may not favor Nebraska, but the preparation time and urgency do.

So we wait for Saturday night. And when the lights come on in Happy Valley, don’t be surprised if a Nebraska team backed into a corner fights like it has something to prove — because it does.