STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Fresh off its disappointing 20-12 loss at Ohio State last week, Penn State returns to action Saturday with another conference clash, this time against struggling Indiana.
The Nittany Lions and the Hoosiers will square off Saturday at noon in Happy Valley. The game will be televised on CBS.
Here's a look at Saturday's matchup.
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's game will be the 27th meeting between Penn State and Indiana. The Lions hold a commanding 24-2 lead in the series, including eight wins in the last nine years. Penn State has never lost to Indiana in Beaver Stadium.
Last year, Penn State earned a 45-14 win in Bloomington. Kaytron Allen scored on three rushing touchdowns, while the Penn State defense tallied 16 tackles for loss, six sacks and three interceptions.
ABOUT PENN STATE: The Nittany Lions' offensive struggles were the story of the game in last week's loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes held Penn State to 240 total yards, including just 49 on the ground. The Lions went 1-for-16 on third-down conversions. QB Drew Allar completed just 42 percent of his pass attempts (18-for-42) and was sacked four times.
The Lions' defense held Ohio State to 365 total yards, including just 79 yards on the ground. It was the sixth-straight opponent Penn State has held under 100 rushing yards in 2023. Over those six games, Penn State is allowing just 2.02 yards per carry.
Since the start of the 2022 season, Penn State has held 15 opponents under 100 yards, tied second in the nation, and since 2014, the Nittany Lions have limited opponents to less than 100 rushing yards on 54 occasions.
The loss snapped Penn State's 11-game winning streak, and also ended its streak of 13 straight games where the Lions scored at least 30 points. The latter streak was the longest in the nation.
Dating back to the Rutgers game in 2022, Penn State had scored in 38 straight quarters until being shutout in the third quarter against Ohio State. That was also the longest active streak in the nation.
Allar has completed 136 of 223 passes for 1,445 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He still has not thrown an interception. He ranks sixth in the Big Ten in passing yardage and third in passing touchdowns.
The ground game is powered by the tandem of Nicholas Singleton (98-410, six TDs) and Kaytron Allen (87-401, three TDs), while KeAndre Lambert-Smith (37-454, three TDs) is Penn State's leading receiver.
Defensively, senior defensive end Adisa Isaac is enjoying a strong season. He collected two tackles for loss, including a half-sack, at Ohio State. It marked Isaac's sixth career game with multiple tackles for loss.
Since the start of the 2022 season, Isaac is tied for the Big Ten lead with five games with multiple tackles for loss, matching Illinois' Jer'Zhan Newton.
This season, Isaac leads the Big Ten with 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. He also paces the conference in sacks per game (0.79; 16th nationally) and tackles for loss per game (1.4; 15th).
ABOUT INDIANA: The Hoosiers dropped to 2-5 this season after falling 31-14 to Rutgers last Saturday. Indiana tallied 279 total yards, including 153 on the ground. Brendan Sorsby threw for 126 yards and a score, while adding 49 rushing yards and a 4-yard touchdown. Omar Cooper Jr. hauled in a 35-yard touchdown reception. Aaron Casey led the defense with nine tackles, while Nick James registered a sack.
Coached by Tom Allen (32-45 in seven seasons), the Hoosiers are 0-4 in conference play.
On offense, Indiana ranks 14th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (17.9 ppg), 11th in total offense (311.7 ypg), 10th in passing offense (198.0) and 12th in rushing offense (113.7).
Tayven Jackson (60.9 completion percentage, 914 yards, 2 TD/5 INT) and Sorsby (50.6 completion percentage, 420 yards, 3 TD/0 INT) have both seen significant time at quarterback this season.
Jaylin Lucas paces the Hoosiers with 247 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while ranking third in the Big Ten averaging 99.3 all-purpose yards per game.
On defense, the Hoosiers sit 13th in the Big Ten in scoring defense (29.3), 12th in total defense (366.1 ypg), seventh in passing defense (191.7) and 14th in rushing defense (174.4).
Casey ranks fifth in the Big Ten averaging 8.4 tackles per game and third in the conference with 5.7 solo tackles per game,