UNIVERSITY PARK – Sometimes it is not an entirely bad thing for history to repeat itself.
The last time the Penn State football team lost six games in a row was in the 2004 season under head coach Joe Paterno.
That team started 2-1 but then lost its next six games, all in conference, and limped into the final two games of the year with a 2-7 record.
The low point came in a 6-4 loss (not a typo) to Iowa at home in which the defense scored all the team’s points on two safeties.
Yet that team did not give up.
The Lions turned their fortunes around with wins in the final two games, over Indiana and Michigan State, and took that momentum into the next season.
Then in 2005, Penn State finished 12-1, at No. 3 in the country and with a rousing, 3-overtime, 26-23 win over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
This 2025 Nittany Lion team faces the same kind of crossroad with, ironically, a game at Michigan State looming on Saturday, Nov. 15.
Michigan State and Penn State are in almost the exact same position.
Both teams began the season with three wins and have lost six Big Ten games in a row.
While the Lions lost on Nov. 8 to No. 2 Indiana, 27-24, in heartbreaking fashion, the Spartans lost their last game in overtime, 23-20, at Minnesota.
All of that left both teams with 3-6 overall records and 0-6 records in the Big Ten.
Michigan State scores an average of 25.5 points per game with a total offense average of 347 yards.
The Spartans give up 31 points and 371 yards, which are relatively even stats, but they have given up four interceptions, five lost fumbles and 30 sacks for a total of 252 lost yards. They also have 22 touchdowns in 33 trips into the red zone.
Junior quarterback Aidan Chiles completed 128-of-203 passes for 1392 yards and 10 touchdowns, while redshirt freshman Alessio Millivojevic is 42-65 for 592 yards and four touchdowns.
The top rusher is Makhi Frazier with 526 yards on 108 attempts and two touchdowns, but Chiles can also run with 81 attempts for 227 net yards and six touchdowns.
Two other backs, Elijah Tau-Tolliver and Brandon Tullis, have over 400 total yards and five touchdowns between them.
The top receivers are Nick Marsh, 554 yards and 5 TDs, and Omari Kelly, 529 yards and one TD.
Defensively, the Spartans have 41 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, three interceptions and seven fumble recoveries.
Junior linebacker Jordan Hall leads the team with 70 tackles, four TFLs and two sacks. He also has an interception and two forced fumbles.
Against top teams, MSU lost to USC, 45-31, Indiana, 38-13, and Michigan, 31-20. The Spartans also lost to UCLA, 38-13, and Nebraska, 38-27.
For Penn State, the loss on Saturday to No. 2 Indiana was especially difficult because of the Lions not taking advantage of two late chances to win the game.
There were nonetheless signs of an improved offense, especially in the passing game. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer completed 22 of 31 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Trebor Pena caught 6 passes for 99 yards.
In addition, Nicholas Singleton ran 10 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns.
But Indiana came through when it had to and took the victory after an 80-yard touchdown drive with less than two minutes to play.
“Tough loss,” interim head coach Terry Smith said after the game. “Very difficult one to handle, and the locker room is taking it tough. I’m super proud of the effort the guys put out there. These guys do everything we ask of them, and they keep coming up short.
“We have to hit the reset button again tomorrow and try to figure out how to win a game.
“I thought we did a better job in the second half of throwing the ball down the field, which opened up the run game. Nick (Singleton) hit the long run and gave us opportunities to get back in the game.
“Their quarterback is big time. When you get in games like this, you have to have players who make plays and he won the game for them. He was amazing. He’s tough. We hit him relentlessly the entire game, and he kept getting up. That last drive, those guys made plays.
“I feel bad for our guys. They deserve more. They deserve victory.
“I think this was close to a good game, but there is always room for improvement. We are going to come back tomorrow, get back at it, and get ready for Michigan State next week.”
Kickoff at Michigan State is set for 3:30 p.m.
