The gauntlet continues for Penn State, which will return to Beaver Stadium for the first time in four weeks to host No. 2 Indiana at noon Saturday.
The Nittany Lions have played eight games without beating a power conference opponent this season, the longest streak since 2004, which could continue past this weekend.
Still, interim head coach Terry Smith remains confident his team will be up to the task against one of the nation’s best, a Hoosier program Penn State has historically dominated.
Here’s what to know ahead of the matchup.
Head coach:
Leading the charge is Curt Cignetti, who’s already taken the program to historic heights in just his second season at the helm.
Last year, Cignetti led Indiana to an 11-2 record and College Football Playoff appearance, marking the Hoosiers’ first season ever with more than nine wins. A victory on Saturday would make it two consecutive seasons accomplishing the feat.
Prior to arriving in Bloomington, Cignetti spent five seasons as head coach at James Madison, leading the Dukes to a 52-9 record with three Colonial Athletic Association championships. His team reached the FCS national championship game in 2019 and the semifinals in the ensuing two seasons.
When JMU elevated to the FBS ranks in 2022, Cignetti led the team to division titles in back-to-back years, but they were ineligible to compete in the Sun Belt championship game while transitioning from the FCS.
He also had head coaching stints at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, going 53-17, and Elon, going 14-9 with two playoff appearances. Prior to that, he served as an assistant at Pitt, Davidson, Rice, Temple, NC State and Alabama, where he worked as a wide receivers coach and recruiting analyst under Nick Saban.
Coordinators:
Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan (no relation to former NFL head coach Mike Shanahan and his son Kyle) is in his second season with the Hoosiers but has followed Curt Cignetti through three previous stops dating back to 2016 at IUP.
Indiana’s offense primarily uses 11-personnel and utilizes a diverse run game which incorporates several running backs and quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They use RPO looks and are able to generate explosive plays in the passing game.
Defensively, Bryant Haines is another Cignetti disciple who’s coached alongside him every year but one dating back to IUP in 2014.
Haines’ defense ranks No. 3 nationally in points allowed per game at just 10.8 while also leading the Big Ten with 2.3 takeaways per game.
“They have guys that fly around to the football,” Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer said. “They play the quarterback well, and I think that’s something they really do well in the secondary.”
The special teams unit is headed by coordinator Grant Cain, who followed Cignetti from JMU. The unit included kicker Nico Radicic, who’s converted on 21 of 22 career field goals and 126 of 126 extra points, though he hasn’t attempted a kick longer than 46 yards.
Standout players:
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza ranks No. 7 nationally in completion percentage and third in the Big Ten behind Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola at 72.3%. His 25 passing touchdowns are good for second in the country, and he’s thrown just four interceptions.
While Indiana is a run-first offense, Mendoza has been extremely efficient this season and has earned buzz as a Heisman candidate.
Wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. is having a career year with 46 receptions for 669 yards and eight touchdowns, though 207 yards and four of those touchdowns came against FCS Indiana State.
Wideout Elijah Sarratt trails slightly behind with 45 catches for 609 yards, but he’s produced 10 touchdowns and combined for 15 receptions against Iowa and Oregon, two of the Big Ten’s best defenses.
Defensively, D’Angelo Ponds is a reigning first-team All-Big Ten honoree and has continued to be a lockdown cornerback this season. Ponds has allowed just 14 receptions on 29 targets this year for no touchdowns, per PFF.
Safety Louis Moore, a 24-year old, joins Ponds in the secondary and leads the team with five interceptions this season. He’s yet to allow a touchdown and has a team-leading 57 tackles.
Record:
The Hoosiers enter unblemished at 9-0, including an impressive 30-20 win at then-No. 3 Oregon and a dominant 63-10 showing against then-No. 9 Illinois. Their closest matchup came at Iowa, a 20-15 win in Kinnick Stadium.
Indiana is favored in all three remaining games and is viewed as a lock to return to the playoffs this season, barring disaster.
Series history:
Penn State dominates the all-time series 25-2 and has never lost at Beaver Stadium, but that may change this weekend as two-touchdown underdogs. The Hoosiers’ last win came in 2020 on Michael Penix Jr.’s infamous game-winning stretch at the pylon. Their only other win came in 2013 against a Nittany Lion squad dealing with heavy sanctions.
Prediction: Indiana 30, Penn State 17
Indiana’s offense has been nearly unstoppable outside of an uncharacteristic showing at Iowa, while Penn State’s defense has struggled against both the run and pass at different points this season.
The Hoosiers should be able to move the ball consistently on the ground, opening up the quick game through the air. Cignetti has traditionally run up the score on inferior opponents, but the Nittany Lions should be able to keep things from getting out of hand.
Ethan Grunkemeyer’s first two starts resulted in some impressive moments but were mostly uninspiring. The Indiana defense — which gets consistent pressure and forces turnovers — will likely be out for blood against an inexperienced quarterback.
The Hoosiers don’t give up much on the ground, ranking No. 4 nationally for fewest rushing yards allowed, so the Nittany Lions may be forced to rely on Grunkemeyer’s arm, which isn’t a spot they’d like to be in.
