The Penn State football program has turned its 3-0 start into a 13-spot rise in the AP Top 25 poll ahead of a Saturday home game against Villanova. This will be the Nittany Lions’ final non-conference contest of the regular season before embarking on a span of eight consecutive Big Ten matchups.
Indiana is the first opponent on that upcoming conference schedule, and we now know the details for an Oct. 2 meeting between the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium.
The Big Ten announced on Monday afternoon that kickoff will occur at 7:30 p.m. ET, with ABC carrying the television broadcast.
Ranked sixth nationally, Penn State carries a seven-game win streak since starting the 2020 season with an 0-5 record. Of course, the first of those defeats occurred at Indiana.
Last October, a 36-35 overtime win for the Hoosiers in Bloomington concluded with controversy, as quarterback Michael Penix, with safety Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker incoming, dove and extended for an end zone pylon. Following a lengthy replay review, it was ruled a successful two-point conversion, sending the Nittany Lions home with a crushing defeat and launching a 4-0 start for Indiana.
The Hoosiers climbed as high as ninth in the AP Top 25 last season. Indiana finished 6-2 with an Outback Bowl loss versus Ole Miss.
Indiana entered this September listed 17th in the preseason AP Top 25, situated two spots ahead of Penn State. However, the Hoosiers were overwhelmed in Game 1 at Iowa, losing 34-6, and swiftly fell out of national rankings.
Indiana has followed with a 56-14 victory over Idaho and a 38-24 loss to Cincinnati, who like Iowa is currently inside the top 10.
Penix had X-rays and an MRI on his right (non-throwing) wrist after falling to 1-2. He tossed three interceptions in each of Indiana’s defeats, totaling only two touchdowns along the way. He was 17-of-40 passing against Cincinnati.
“You’ve got to make good decisions in that spot (quarterback),” Hoosiers coach Tom Allen said afterward. “… I’m never going to act like anybody’s job is 100 percent safe. I don’t care what position you play on this team. You better perform, you better play to a high level to do the things we know we’ve got to do to win football games.”
On Monday, Allen confirmed Penix remains his starting quarterback moving forward.
The Hoosiers will visit Conference USA member Western Kentucky before making the trip to Penn State. These teams last competed in Beaver Stadium during a Nov. 16, 2019 matchup.
That day, the No. 9 Nittany Lions bounced back from their first loss of the season (at Minnesota) to beat No. 24 Indiana, 34-27. Penn State carries an all-time series advantage of 22-2, and PSU had won six straight meetings until 2020. Indiana has never won in Beaver Stadium.
This will be the fourth straight game for Penn State, who next hit the road for an Oct. 9 showdown at Iowa.
