Defensive keys to a Penn State win over Michigan State

Penn State is back home this week to take on Michigan State.

It’s worth noting that standout receiver Parker Washington is out for the season with an injury. However, the Nittany Lions still have the talent on offense to beat Michigan State on Saturday.

The Spartans enter this game as a heavy underdog. Both teams have plenty of high stakes at the table. Michigan State needs a win to clinch a bowl game, while Penn State is looking to keep their New Year’s Six bowl hope alive with a win on Saturday.

Michigan State has the offensive talent, with players like receiver Jayden Reed and running back Jalen Berger, to watch for this matchup.

You know what they say — defense wins championships. This is a crucial game for both teams.

Can the Spartans pull off the upset and spoil Penn State’s New Year’s Six hopes?

The Nittany Lions have the defensive talent to win this game on Saturday.

Here are the top three defensive keys to a Penn State win over Michigan State.

Penn State secondary

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Penn State’s secondary might be a bit too much for Michigan State to get any sort of momentum. Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne has been inconsistent for much of the season, and when the quarterback struggles, the rest of the passing game doesn’t move efficiently. Penn State has a plethora of talent in their secondary, Including guys like Joey Porter Jr., Ji’Ayir Brown and freshman corner Kalen King, who has had a strong start to his collegiate career with the Nittany Lions. The Spartans have guys like Jayden Reed, Jalen Berger and Keon Coleman on their offense. But Penn State’s secondary could be a bit too much for Michigan State on Saturday.

Penn State pass rush

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Penn State has enough defensive talent to give an ample amount of pressure to Payton Thorne. They lost key talent from last season, but they have done a tremendous job overcoming that. A big reason for that is freshmen like Abdul Carter stepping up. Half the sacks from last season are from players that aren’t on the team anymore. However, the Nittany Lions have plenty of talent to prevent any momentum from the Spartans’ offense on Saturday.

Grab momentum early

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This game is a really good chance for Penn State to grab early momentum. To keep their New Year’s six bowl hopes alive, the Nittany Lions can’t make this game close against a struggling Michigan State team. If they can grab momentum early and win this game by multiple possessions, with the help from other teams ahead of them, that will help their case.

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Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire