5 defensive keys for Penn State’s Peach Bowl matchup against Ole Miss
Penn State versus Ole Miss this Saturday in the Peach Bowl will be a showcase of two teams with drastically different playstyles. The Rebels are an explosive unit that averages 14.43 yards per completion, a staggering number by all accounts. The Nittany Lion defense only gives up 3.9 yards per play, an equally impressive number.
Two strengths going at each other should be fun to watch. Can Jaxson Dart and the Ole Miss passing attack continue its dominant downfield game, or will Penn State’s defense, with multiple future NFL players leading its secondary, prove too much to overcome? And don’t forget the Rebels run the ball with a head-down mentality as well. Tune in on Saturday at noon on ESPN to watch these two units go head to head. It is guaranteed to be a sight.
Now, both units can make life more challenging for one another, and both coaching staffs will try to add multiple wrinkles to make life even more difficult. Let’s take a look at five keys the Penn State defense must try and do in order to defeat Ole Miss and capture another New Year’s Six bowl victory.
Limit the explosives, especially through the air
The Ole Miss offense thrives on their ability to create explosive passing plays. They have three receivers who average over 14 yards per reception with 45 or more receptions. The sample size is large, and the stats back up what you see on tape. Limiting the 20+ yard passing plays and the 15+ yard runs will be crucial against Ole Miss.
Penn State has a strong secondary, but if you had to nitpick its defense in some way, the pass defense is slightly behind its run defense in terms of yardage given up. The Nittany Lions give up 153.6 passing yards per game and the Rebels throw the ball to the tune of 276.6 ypg. Penn State’s worst games against the pass came against Ohio State and Maryland, who, unsurprisingly, were the top two passing offensive teams in the Big Ten.
Which side gives a little in Saturday’s matchup remains to be seen, but having the services of Kalen King, whose Peach Bowl status was in question, should be a huge benefit for Penn State’s secondary.
Remain the best run defense in the nation
Through 12 games this season, Penn State is far and away the best defense against the run. The unit has only allowed a meager 836 yards for an average of 69.7 yards per game and a measly 2.16 yards per carry. Before this season, most people would say Ole Miss’ offense was run first, and by all accounts, it is, but the explosive passing plays this year have been so gaudy that they pop out more than before. Ole Miss might be known first for its explosive passing attack this year, but its run game, led by future NFL draft pick Quinshon Judkins, is still a huge priority.
The Rebels are the SEC’s fourth-best rushing offense, ahead of the likes of Georgia and Alabama. Judkins has run the ball 237, which ranks in the top 10 in the country, proving that the Rebels want to run the football. Ulysses Bentley IV, Judkins’ backup, has been the more explosive of the two, averaging 5.7 ypc compared to Judkins’ 4.4 ypc.
Penn State will have to rely on its dominant front seven to slow down these two tremendous runners. Holding Ole Miss to under 40 rush attempts should be a goal because any more and you are looking at a burnt-out defense in Atlanta.
Don't let Jaxson Dart beat you with his legs
Dart is definitely a pass-first quarterback, but with 111 rushing attempts on the season, he isn’t afraid to pull it and run. In Ole Miss’ win against Georgia Tech, he ran it 14 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns. That just cannot happen on Saturday if Penn State wants to win.
The passing attack is explosive, but taking away a weapon like Dart’s mobility can be huge in determining the length of drives. The last thing any defensive coordinator or player, for that matter, wants is to have a 3rd and long, and then the quarterback scrambles for 15-20 yards. Those are backbreakers, and the Nittany Lions must contain Dart in the pocket.
Make them one dimensional
Ole Miss is a pick-your-poison type of team. They run and pass the ball relatively well, so Penn State must clamp down to stop either one. Looking back at Ole Miss’ schedule, I think that Penn State should try to limit the running game. First, it’s the Nittany Lions’ strength on the defensive side of the ball. Second, when Alabama beat the Rebels in September, the Crimson Tide were able to hold them to 29 rushes for 56 yards. Alabama won that game 24-10, and I think the recipe for success should be similar for Penn State, although I do think more points will be scored.
Limiting Judkins and Bentley will make Dart throw the ball 40+ times, which can create more opportunities for turnovers
Create turnovers
Penn State and Ole Miss combined have only turned the ball over 13 times in 24 combined games. Those numbers are good for the nation’s 2nd and 3rd least turnover-prone teams. If Jaxson Dart is going to throw 40 or more times, I think Penn State’s secondary can bait him into a pick or two. Turnovers in a game like Saturday’s that isn’t supposed to have many are game changers, especially if the offense can turn them into touchdowns.
Penn State’s defense has a knack for coming up with the big play and is tied for 10th in the country with 24 forced turnovers. Ole Miss may be as stingy in giving them up as Penn State is at forcing them, but it is looking more likely that the team who wins the turnover battle will win the game.
