PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Miles Sanders is coming off his best game in weeks when he posted 159 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Sanders, a sturdy, patient runner, is at his best when he gets a big workload. Also, it’s worthy to note he’s 264 yards away from Saquon Barkley’s 2017 rushing total. But while Sanders has averaged 6.7 yards per carry to Barkley’s 5.8, Sanders is nine touchdowns behind Barkley’s 18 from a year ago.
–QB Tommy Stevens is eventually going to be called on to do more than just run the ball from the quarterback spot. With Trace McSorley still banged up — he limped into the media room after last week’s game — Stevens will likely have a chance to show what he can do, as Penn State has another vaunted quarterback waiting for a shot in Sean Clifford.
–WR Jahan Dotson might be the wideout who can provide KJ Hamler with some help. Juwan Johnson was struggling before suffering an injury that’s kept him out the last two weeks and the team’s third- and fourth-leading receivers are a tight end and running back, respectively. Dotson has caught a pair of passes in each of the last three games and Franklin is excited about his development.
–DT Robert Windsor is coming off one of his best games posting a pair of sacks and six tackles overall. The Scarlet Knights have been dreadful in most facets but have protected well with just 12 sacks allowed.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State leads Rutgers 26-2. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting, 35-6, on Nov. 11, 2017 at Beaver Stadium.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Protection, we’ve got to be better. And drops, we’ve got to be better. I think once we can get those two things going, I think it’s going to give our offense a chance to really take the next step.” — Penn State coach James Franklin
