Penn State’s football team has been a part of two trophy games since joining the Big Ten in 1993.
The Nittany Lions and Michigan State play for the infamous Land Grant Trophy, an unsightly mishmash.
The other trophy is the Governor’s Victory Bell, which will be on the line when No. 4 Penn State (6-1, 9-1) meets Minnesota (4-3, 6-4) Saturday at 3:30 (TV-CBS) in Minneapolis.
The GVB is a bit more attractive than the LGT but less recognized. It’s not even mentioned in Penn State’s game notes.
“We played Minnesota my freshman year (2022),” Lions quarterback Drew Allar said. “I remember the trophy in our locker room after the game. I couldn’t tell you what it’s named, though. I’m not going to lie.”
Penn State has much more at stake against Minnesota than the GVB. The Lions would like to finish the regular season with wins over the Golden Gophers and next week against Maryland to cement their place in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
They will rely on their defense, which ranks in the top 10 in total yards allowed (fourth), rushing yards allowed (fifth) and points allowed (sixth). They held Ohio State and Washington to season lows in points earlier this month.
They’ve impressed Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck.
“This is one of the healthiest defenses we’ve played,” Fleck said. “They’re not playing 75 snaps a game. They’re rotating and platooning. They’re not missing a beat when they’re platooning. They’re very, very aggressive. They’re very good tacklers.”
Only three teams have rushed for 100 or more yards against Penn State: Bowling Green, USC and Ohio State, the only team to top 400 total yards.
Safeties Jaylen Reed and Zakee Wheatley are the leading tacklers. Defensive end Abdul Carter, who earlier this week was named a finalist for the Lombardi Award, ranks second in the country with 17.5 tackles for loss and 12th in sacks with eight.
Other than Carter, the Lions don’t have spectacular individual statistics because they use so many players on defense.
“You can’t tell what platoon group is in because they all are good,” Fleck said about the Penn State defensive line. “And they all have special traits. It’s not just about No. 11 (Carter) or No. 15 (Amin Vanover) or the guys inside. It’s about how they can rotate guys in.”
Minnesota’s offense has struggled, ranking 113th nationally in total yards, 121st in rushing and 83rd in scoring. The Gophers have failed to score 30 points in eight of their 10 games.
Max Brosmer, a transfer from New Hampshire, has completed 67.1% of his passes for 2,251 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions. But he’s averaging just 6.9 yards per attempt (91st nationally), so he doesn’t complete many throws downfield.
Darius Taylor is Minnesota’s leading rusher with 672 yards and nine TDs, and Daniel Jackson is the top receiver with 63 catches for 712 yards and three TDs.
While the Gophers try to control the clock, Penn State’s first priority on defense is to stop the run.
“We’re playing some of the best defensive football in all of college football right now,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “I don’t think (defensive coordinator) Tom Allen and the guys on the defensive side of the ball are getting enough credit for how good we’re playing.”
Rich Scarcella’s pick
Penn State 31, Minnesota 13
The Nittany Lions have responded well after their only loss to Ohio State and would like to continue their momentum into the College Football Playoff. The Golden Gophers, who struggle on offense, need to create turnovers to have a chance at the upset. Penn State, though, has protected the football well all season.
