Ezekiel Elliott’s comments about not getting enough carries made the most headlines from Michigan State’s win over Ohio State last weekend, but that might have obscured a bigger story. The Spartans’ 17-14 upset also featured by far the best day of the year for an MSU secondary that has struggled due to attrition and injuries for most of the season. MSU gave up more than 300 yards passing in each of its first two games, again in late October during a win over Indiana and in a Nov. 7 loss to Nebraska. Ohio State only managed 46 yards through the air, a total partially impacted by the inclement weather in Columbus for part of the game but still surprisingly low. For perspective, option-based Air Force threw for 149 yards, and the next-worst output of the year was Purdue’s 136 on Oct. 3. The Buckeyes only attempted 16 passes, but what can MSU expect this week from Penn State? The Nittany Lions have some pieces perceived to be NFL-caliber — starting with quarterback Christian Hackenberg — but they have not produced corresponding results through 11 games. Penn State is 90th nationally in passing yards, and Hackenberg is 10th in the Big Ten in pass efficiency. Receiver Chris Godwin has had a breakout season, catching 52 passes for 859 yards, while sophomore DaeSean Hamilton has 32 catches for 431 yards…
Continue Reading: Will Penn State attack Michigan State where Ohio State did not?
