Two games, five points.

Those five points separate Penn State from a perfect 6-0 record, a lead in the B1G East and a mention in the College Football Playoff discussion. Instead, the Nittany Lions have suffered a pair of back-to-back losses and have been eliminated from the division race and the national championship conversation.

It was one point in a heartbreaking loss to Ohio State. And on Saturday, it was a 21-17 loss to Michigan State. Penn State is 4-2 and is in the middle of a critical stretch.

Now, most of the goals Penn State had hoped to accomplish are out of reach. It’s a tough moment for the program. Quarterback Trace McSorley believes it’s a time to pull together.

“We’ve just got to come together,” McSorley said after the game. “Right now is the time where we’re going to really figure out the kind of team that we have. It’s easy when you have one loss and you can still talk about things you maybe have to look forward to. But when you go through back-to-back losses, tough situations at home and we’re in the B1G schedule and we’ve got a lot more B1G games to play, we’ve got to come together.

“What we need to do right now is come together, be stronger together now than ever.”

Penn State will travel to Indiana next Saturday before games against Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. There are opportunities to post some important wins and prove the Nittany Lions are still among the conference’s top teams.

But it won’t happen unless the Nittany Lions figure out ways to close games. Maybe McSorley’s message will get through to his teammates and they can figure this thing out over the next six games.