The eyes of the college football world will gaze upon State College for a rare regular-season matchup between the Auburn Tigers and Penn State. Both teams are 2-0 on the season and this is going to be a game worthy of the pregame buildup.
But at the end of the game, one team will emerge with a 3-0 record and the other will take its first loss of the season. What will it take for Penn State to make sure they are the team celebrating on the field at Beaver Stadium with a raucous whiteout crowd on hand? Here are a few keys to a Penn State victory.
1. Early season test
It’s called taking advantage of your opportunities. That’s what Penn State has here tonight, to channel our inner Herb Brooks. Penn State is on a mission to redeem themselves for last season, and a home victory over a top 25 team form the SEC would certainly be a major boost to Penn State’s rebound season. The way the defense has bene playing, they up to the task of taking on a very talented Auburn offense that has scored 60+ points in each of their past two games and features one of the top running backs in the country.
2. The Return of the Whiteout
For the first time since 2019, Penn State will have one of their marquee events return. The Whiteout is back for the first time in two seasons and it will be worth the wait. The energy riding throughout Beaver Stadium will be euphoric and at times could be overwhelming. Remember when Michigan was forced to take a timeout on the first play of the game because the stadium was too loud. That is the kind of intensity fans will be looking to bring into this top 25 showdown between SEC and Big Ten programs.
3. Big test for Sean Clifford
In his senior season, Sean Clifford has looked good so far but this is yet another solid test he must pass. Clifford coming up big for Penn State with effective passing and avoiding a turnover will help give Penn State a much better chance of getting a win against Auburn. Clifford has yet to turn the football over this season, a stark contrast to the first two games a season ago. Penn State will need more of that against the Tigers, who will bring good pressure up front all night long.
4. James Franklin handles distractions
Penn State’s James Franklin has been in the spotlight this week with reports and rumors about him being linked as a candidate for the vacant USC job. While Franklin hasn’t exactly sold fans through the media of his commitment to the program, the messages being delivered inside the program and meetings with the players will surely be a different vibe entirely. Expect Franklin to keep all of his focus on the mission at hand this week, which is going 1-0. This is not a week to let distractions get in the way, and Franklin will have to assure that is the case.
5. Can the defense take the next level?
Through two weeks of the season, the Penn State defense has been making huge stops and at times making the quarterback for the other teams look lost and confused. This matchup against Auburn is a good test to see if they are ready for the next step as they look to force Auburn’s Bo Nix to feel uncomfortable under pressure. If the Nittany Lions can get Nix feeling nervous in the backfield and force him to make some poor decisions, the secondary led by Jaquan Brisker will make him pay for it.