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There’s only one team left in the B1G that hasn’t won a game in 2020
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Things have gone south quickly for Penn State.
After falling 30-23 to Nebraska on Saturday, the Nittany Lions are now the only team in the Big Ten without a win.
Illinois and Nebraska were the other Big Ten programs without a victory entering Week 4, but the Huskers beat Penn State and Illinois defeated Rutgers on a last-second field goal.
Penn State nearly tied the game vs. Nebraska twice late in the fourth quarter, but came up short in the red zone twice.
Here’s the sequence on those red zone trips that cost them a chance to go to overtime or win the game outright:
Penn State on three possessions inside the Nebraska 15 in the second half: run for no gain, run for no gain, run for loss of three, field goal; incomplete, incomplete, incomplete, incomplete; incomplete, incomplete, sack, incomplete.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) November 14, 2020
Coach James Franklin also made a change at quarterback in this game, replacing Sean Clifford with Will Levis. Clifford was benched after two awful turnovers in the first half.
It will be interesting to see if Franklin sticks with his backup going forward. Levis was adequate for the most part, and made a very impressive play in the pocket before completing a 74-yard pass to bring Penn State within a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He’s also a threat with his legs, running the ball 18 times for 61 yards and a score.
While Penn State is talented enough to win against most teams in this conference, things could get worse before they get better. The Nittany Lions host Iowa next week and then travel to Ann Arbor to face a frustrated Michigan squad in Week 6.
Iowa is fresh off two blowout victories over Michigan State and Minnesota.
Penn State likely won’t be favored again until facing Rutgers on Dec. 5.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.