Penn State prepares for the final road game of the regular season as they look for their 10th win while keeping their playoff hopes alive.

No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1) vs. Minnesota (6-4, 4-3)

Kick-off: 3:30 PM, Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

The betting line: Penn State-13

TV: CBS, 3:30 p.m., Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jenny Dell (sideline)

Weather: The highest temperature will be 38 degrees, while temperatures will drop below 30 degrees. The wind will be weak and the chance of precipitation is small.

COACHES:

James Franklin:

PENN STATE RECORD: 97-40, 11th year

OVERALL RECORD: 121-55, 14th year

USA MINNESOTA: 2-1

PJ Vlek:

MINNESOTA RECORD: 56-38, 8th year

OVERALL RECORD: 86-60, 12th year

USA PENN STATE: 1-1

FUN FACTS

The Nittany Lions have won their first four road games to start the season for the first time since 2011…Penn State has allowed just 49 second-half points all season, good for second in the nation… the Nittany Lions are 16-10 all-time against Minnesota, but are 0-2 at Huntington Bank Stadium…Penn State is 6-6 in games played on Nov. 23, including a 12-0 win over Dickinson in 1901 and a 2-0 defeat to Bucknell in 1935.

MINNESOTA ROBBERY VS. PENN STATE DEFENSE

Minnesota’s offense could be very different than what you expect based on the past two decades of Gophers football. PJ Fleck has switched to a more pass-heavy approach after a stretch with program greats like Mo Ibrahim, Laurence Marony, Marion Barber and Rodney Smith. To illustrate this point, let’s look at quarterback Max Brosmer’s pass attempts in six of the seven Big Ten games this season – 37, 40, 37, 33, 37 and 45. For comparison: Drew Allar’s season high for attempts is 43 against USC, and hasn’t had more than 28 attempts in any other game.

Brosmer is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the Big Ten, completing 67.1% of passes with 14 touchdowns (18 total) and 4 interceptions. Brosmer has been extra careful with the ball lately, with no interceptions in his last five games, with the last pick coming against Michigan on September 28. Brosmer is in his first year with the Gophers after spending four seasons in New Hampshire, where he was one of the leading passers in FCS in ’22 and ’23.

Brosmer has several strong goals, with fifth-year Daniel Jackson leading the way. Jackson is in his fourth year as a starter and knows how to find weak spots in the defense. He already has a career-high 63 receptions for 712 yards and three scores this season. Elijah Spencer is another senior with significant time in the Gophers offense and is a more physical presence at 6-2, 200 lbs. Minnesota’s passing game also relies heavily on getting the ball out of the backfield, with starter Darius Taylor second on the team with 45 catches. Backup running back Marcus Major also plays a big role in the passing attack when he is on the field. Tight end James Geers is typically targeted a few times per game and is coming off a season high with eight receptions for 73 yards against Rutgers.

Minnesota’s offensive line has struggled in pass protection, allowing 23 sacks this year. This includes giving up five against North Carolina and Michigan, and four in their upset loss to Rutgers. They have also struggled to open holes for Taylor, as the Gophers are 121st in the country in rushing at just over 100 yards per game on the ground.

This makes it all the more important for Brosmer to get the ball out of his hands quickly. Penn State’s relentless pass rush continues to improve, with Dani Dennis-Sutton becoming increasingly available as he recovers from injury, and Abdul Carter wreaking havoc as he seems fully acclimated to the defensive end in his first season at the position . Opponents have been shown to be able to move the ball at Penn State with quick, accurate throws. However, the time in the bag will be minimal.

James Franklin noted in his post-game press conference that Carter “should have had three or four more sacks or penalties” after several clear (to say the least) grabs on Carter were missed. We’ll see if the Big Ten takes notice and pays more attention to the fact that No. 11 is being held at seemingly every rush.

PENN STATE ROBBERY VS. MINNESOTA DEFENSE

The Gophers once again have a stingy and opportunistic defense and will be among the top units the Nittany Lions offense has faced this season. Minnesota is giving up just 17.7 points per game while allowing less than 296 total yards per game and 176 through the air. They are slightly behind in run defense, giving up 120 yards per game – which is still pretty solid at 34th in the country.

Minnesota also does a good job of disguising coverage to create confusion and poor throws in the secondary. Four different Gophers defensemen have had multiple interceptions this season, and their sixteen total picks rank fourth nationally. True freshman Koi Perch leads the way with five, and appears to be on his way to All-American status during his time in Minneapolis.

Fifth-year senior Cody Lindberg can play all over the field to the point where it sometimes feels like there is more than one #45 on the field at once. He leads the team with 76 tackles – 27 more than any other Gopher – along with three TFLs, a sack, an interception, six pass breakups and two hurries. Bucknell transfer Ethan Robinson was also part of a disruptive secondary. He has excellent coverage, but is physical enough to play on the line of scrimmage or get off the edge.

Minnesota doesn’t get to the quarterback as much as you would expect from a defense of its caliber. However, they have five players with multiple sacks and can apply pressure from different areas.

Between the low temperatures and the stingy pass defense, Penn State can lean into the run game on Saturday. Nicholas Singleton has shown limited explosiveness over the past two weeks after dealing with nagging injuries all season. When we’re ready, we might see him in his usual role, and don’t be surprised if true freshman Corey Smith gets some meaningful carries after impressing in the second half against Washington and Purdue.

Let’s also state the obvious: Tyler will catch the ball, run the ball, and even pass the ball. He has proven to be one of the best and versatile weapons in the country, and the offense is much better when No. 44 has the ball in his hands.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Minnesota kicker and Dragan Kesich have hit three field goals of 50 or more yards this season, for a total of 15 of 21. Fifth-year senior punter Mark Crawford is averaging a career-high 43.4 yards per kick with a long of 58 yards . He has punted for 51 or more yards in five games this season.

PREDICTION

Penn State-28, Minnesota-13

This game will certainly be a test for the Nittany Lions. Minnesota is a well-coached team with a stingy defense and an efficient quarterback. They will fight hard to upset the #4 team in the country and reward their fans with their biggest win of the season. However, Penn State has proven to be too motivated to let this game slip and will outlast the Gophers to move to 10-1.

It could be a tough first half for the Nittany Lions, and they could even be in trouble at halftime. However, the offense will be able to generate enough big plays to move forward, while the defensive front wears the Gophers down in the trenches to stall their offense in the second half. Penn State begins to pull away in the third quarter as Penn State fans breathe a sigh of relief before rejoicing in another road victory against a tough opponent.