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Defensive keys to a Penn State win at Indiana

Penn State is back on the road this weekend to take on the Indiana Hoosiers.

Both teams are looking to bounce back from crucial losses against conference teams.

Penn State put up a fight against Ohio State last weekend, but fell apart in the fourth quarter.

As for Indiana, they lost by just seven against Rutgers with a final score of 24-17.

Indiana has really struggled this season. If they beat Penn State on Saturday, it would be their first conference win since September 2nd against Illinois and their first win since their overtime win over Western Kentucky 33-30 on September 17.

The Hoosiers put up a fight against Michigan last month in the first half. They were tied at 10 at halftime. But they fell apart in the second half and lost 31-10.

Penn State has the talent to take over this game on Saturday, especially defensively.

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win at Indiana on Saturday.

Penn State Secondary

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Penn State has a talented secondary, enough to help prevent any momentum from the passing game of Indiana. [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] continues to shine, [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] continues to raise his draft stock and [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] is continuing to impress. Indiana doesn’t really have a jaw-dropping player in their wide receiver room, but they do have the talent. However, the Nittany Lions secondary has the talent to take them down. The main player to watch for the Hoosiers is wide receiver Cam Camper, who is the team’s leading pass-catcher. However, with a talented secondary and one that has stayed consistent, Penn State has the talent to prevent any momentum from Indiana’s passing game on Saturday.

Penn State Pass Rush

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Penn State has a few talented players that can get to the quarterback. Last season, it was defensive end and Temple transfer [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] who went off for the Nittany Lions. This season, it has been the [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] show. He has earned himself high pass rusher grades throughout the season by PFF. Another player to keep an eye on for Penn State, especially as a draft prospect, is [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag]. Isaac hasn’t really done a ton this season to raise his draft stock. However, this game is a perfect opportunity for him to do so. Penn State has the talent to get to the quarterback, and both Robinson and Isaac are good examples of them.

Play Four-Quarter Football

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Penn State has to play four-quarter football. They nearly lost to a struggling Northwestern team, a game where they eventually came away with a win with a final score of 17-7. This could be a game where the Nittany Lions walk into it overconfident because of the Hoosiers’ record. However, if they can clean up their minor mistakes, grab the momentum early and play four-quarter football, then Penn State should have no problem winning this game at Indiana on Saturday.

Anything can happen, but the Nittany Lions have the talent to take down the Hoosiers on Saturday. With these top three crucial defensive keys, Penn State should have no problem winning this game at Indiana.

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Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire