The Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions meet tonight at the Orange Bowl with a trip to the National Championship on the line. We preview the Nittany Lions’ elite defense here:
Photo by The Irish Tribune
Penn St enters this game 13-2 on the year, with losses to Ohio State and then Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. Here is how the Nittany Lions have fared this season:
at West Virginia (34-12, Win)
vs Bowling Green (34-27, Win)
vs Kent State (56-0, Win)
vs Illinois (21-7, Win)
vs UCLA (27-11, Win)
at USC (33-30, OT Win)
at Wisconsin (28-13, Win)
vs Ohio State (13-20, Loss)
vs Washington (35-6, Win)
at Purdue (49-10, Win)
at Minnesota (26-25, Win)
vs Maryland (44-7, Win)
vs Oregon (Big Ten Championship, 37-45, Loss)
vs SMU (CFP First Round, 38-10, Win)
vs Boise State (Fiesta Bowl, 31-14, Win)
As hinted at above, this defense is elite. The Nittany Lions are allowing 288.8 total yards and 15.8 points per game, both of which are at least the seventh-fewest among all FBS teams.
One reason for this success, specifically their points allowed, is because of how well the defense plays in the red zone. Penn St is currently allowing opponents to score on just 68.4% of their drives inside the 20, the fourth-lowest percentage among all FBS teams. This could be a key to the game as Notre Dame’s offense has struggled, at times, inside the red zone, scoring on just 81.8% of their red zone trips, tied for just the 87th-best percentage in the country.
The Nittany Lions have been solid against the pass this season, entering the Orange Bowl allowing 187.9 passing yards per game, seventh-fewest in the Big Ten and 27th among all FBS teams. The ball-hawking secondary leads the Big Ten in interceptions (18) which are tied for the fourth-most in the country (with Notre Dame). Additionally, Penn State’s four defensive touchdowns (all pick-sixes) lead the conference and are tied for the fifth-most in the nation. Opposing passers are averaging a 117.32 passing efficiency, the 25th-lowest in the country. Let’s preview the key players in this secondary:
The first of two safeties to highlight is senior Jaylen Reed. The versatile defender, who can also play slot corner or linebacker, recorded 77 tackles including six for a loss, four passes defended, two interceptions, and a sack in 26 games played across the past two years. This season, Reed was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team after leading the team in tackles. He has 92 tackles including six for a loss, three passes defended, three interceptions including a pick-six, two and a half sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery this year. The senior has at least three tackles in each game. He has 11 games with at least five tackles, including two games with a season-high of ten (vs Bowling Green and at Minnesota). Reed is an elite pass-rushing safety with 11 pressures on just 37 pass-rush snaps. He is a good run-stopper but struggled last week versus Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, the best back in college football. The senior is a solid tackler with 16 misses, including three last week. Reed has struggled in coverage this season, having allowed 28 receptions for 326 yards and four touchdowns on 34 targets.
The other safety to keep an eye on is redshirt junior Zakee Wheatley. Before this season, he recorded 51 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 26 games played across the past two years. This season, Wheatley has totaled 79 tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble. He has at least one tackle in each game, including a season-high of ten at Wisconsin. Last week vs Boise St, the junior had an interception and fumble recovery. He is another good run-stopping safety. In coverage, he has been solid, allowing 16 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns on 28 targets. Wheatley is a bad tackler with 19 misses this year including nine in the past three games.
At the cornerback position, Penn St is loaded with talented depth including six players who could impact the Orange Bowl’s outcome starting with sophomore A.J. Harris. He is a Georgia transfer who had eight tackles in seven games played last season in Athens. This season, Harris was selected to the All-Big Ten Third Team after compiling 45 tackles including four for a loss, four passes defended, and an interception. He has at least one tackle in 13 games and ten games with three or more including a season-high of seven versus Oregon in the conference championship. Harris has been great in coverage this year, having allowed 25 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown on 43 targets. He has been solid against the run, and as a tackler with eight misses this season including two in each of the past two games.
Another solid corner is redshirt senior Jalen Kimber, a former Georgia and Florida transfer. Last season at Florida, he recorded 23 tackles, five passes defended, and a fumble recovery in 12 games played. This season, Kimber has 35 tackles and two passes defended. He has at least one tackle in 13 games including a season-high of six (vs Oregon and Boise St). The senior is a great tackler with just one miss this year. In addition, he has been good against the run. Kimber has struggled in coverage this season, having allowed 22 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns on 42 targets.
Redshirt sophomore and former Mississippi State transfer Audavion Collins is a third wide corner to keep an eye on this week. He has 25 tackles, a pass defended, a sack, and an interception in 12 games played this season, including at least one tackle in ten games. Collins’s best game of the year occurred versus Washington when he had five tackles and a sack. The sophomore is another great tackler with just one miss this season. Also, he has been good against the run and is solid in coverage, having allowed 12 receptions for 158 yards on 21 targets.
The last true wide corner to highlight is sophomore Elliot Washington II. This season, he has recorded 23 tackles, six passes defended, and an interception in 13 games played. He has at least one tackle in ten games, and his best game of the season occurred at Wisconsin when he had five tackles and a pass defended. Washington has been great against the run and as a tackler with just one miss this year. He has also been good in coverage, having allowed 13 receptions for 157 yards on 29 targets.
The next two cornerbacks are primarily slot corners, starting with sophomore Zion Tracy. He has 33 tackles, two interceptions including a pick-six, and a sack this season. The sophomore has at least one tackle in 14 games, including a season-high of give versus Washington. Tracy’s 31-yard pick-six versus Ohio St was the Nittany Lions’ lone touchdown of the game. In addition, he picked up his second interception of the year last week versus Boise St. Throughout the year, Tracy has been solid against the run and in coverage, having allowed 23 receptions for 204 yards and a touchdown on 37 targets. The sophomore has struggled with tackling, with 13 misses on the year including six in the past three games.
The final secondary player to highlight is fellow slot corner, junior Cam Miller. Last season, he had 24 tackles including four for a loss, three sacks, three passes defended, and an interception in 13 games played. His three sacks ranked second among all FBS cornerbacks. This year, the junior has recorded 26 tackles including four for a loss, four passes defended, and a sack. He has at least one tackle in 12 games, including a season-high of five versus Bowling Green. Miller excels against the run and is a good tackler with four misses on the year. He has also been solid in coverage, having allowed 28 receptions for 286 yards and a touchdown on 44 targets.
Where Penn St prides themselves the most is against the run with a great rushing defense. They enter the Orange Bowl allowing 100.9 yards per game on the ground, the eight-fewest in the country. For what it is worth, Notre Dame rushed for 193 yards versus Indiana, the top-ranked rush defense in the country who held opponents to under 81 rush yards per game this season. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in tackles for loss per game (7.4), which is the ninth-most among all FBS teams. We preview the key players in this front seven:
What Indiana does not have is a defensive end named Abdul Carter. The junior, right-side edge rusher is a sure-fire top-ten pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Carter entered this season with 104 tackles including 17 for a loss, 11 sacks, nine passes defended, three forced fumbles, and an interception in 26 games played the past two years. Additionally, he was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten in ‘22 and the First Team in ‘23. This year, Carter was named, again, to the First Team All-Big Ten in addition to being a Consensus All-American. He was also awarded Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as he has 63 tackles including 22 for a loss, 11 sacks, three passes defended, and two forced fumbles on the season. Carter’s 1.4 tackles for loss per game leads the conference and is fifth-most among all FBS defenders. Also, his 0.73 sacks per game ranks 15th in the country. The junior has at least one tackle in 14 games including 13 games with three or more. His best game of the season occurred versus Illinois when he tallied seven tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defended. Carter has had four multi-sack outings this year. Last week, he played 18 snaps before exiting with an apparent shoulder injury. He is currently listed as a game-time decision for the Orange Bowl but expect him to suit up even if he is not at 100%. The elite pass rusher has 58 pressures on 322 pass rush snaps this year. He has been great in coverage, when needed, and is good against the run. Carter is an average tackler with ten misses this season. If anyone on the Penn St defense is going to wreck this game, it has to be Carter even if he is not completely healthy. Notre Dame’s offensive line has been tested the past couple of weeks and that does not stop in Miami.
On the other side, Penn St features junior left-side edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton. He entered this season with 43 tackles including ten for a loss, six and a half sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and an interception in 26 games played across the past two years. This season, Dennis-Sutton has recorded 36 tackles including 11 for a loss, six and a half sacks, three passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The junior has at least one tackle in 13 games including a season-high of six at USC and then versus Boise St. He has combined for ten tackles and two and a half sacks in the past two games, noticeably getting hot at the right time. Dennis-Sutton has been good against the run and as a pass rusher this season with 41 pressures on 296 pass rush snaps. However, he is a bad tackler with eight misses this season including four last week and two in the Big Ten Championship.
The first of three interior linebackers to highlight is redshirt junior Kobe King. He entered this season with 100 tackles including ten for a loss, three passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and one and a half sacks in 26 games played over the last two years. This season, King earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors as he recorded 88 tackles including nine for a loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble. He has at least one tackle in each game, including ten games with five or more. The junior had a season-high of ten tackles versus Oregon in the conference championship. He enters the Orange Bowl with eight tackles in each of the past two games in addition to a forced fumble versus Boise St. King is an elite run-stopper and good tackler with 12 misses on the year including three last week. He has been good in coverage, having allowed 22 receptions for 283 yards and a touchdown on 25 targets. The all-conference linebacker is also a good pass rusher with 16 pressures on just 61 pass rush snaps.
Another interior linebacker is sophomore Tony Rojas. Last season, he had 22 tackles including four for a loss, a forced fumble, and an interception in 13 games played. This year, Rojas has recorded 56 tackles including six for a loss, four passes defended, three interceptions including a pick-six, and a sack. He has at least two tackles in 13 games, including a season-high of eight versus UCLA. The sophomore’s pick-six occurred versus SMU in the first round of the CFP. Rojas has lots of potential and is already elite in coverage, having allowed 25 receptions for 195 yards and a touchdown on 37 targets this year. He is also a good pass rusher with 13 pressures on 45 pass-rush snaps. Throughout the year, the young backer has struggled against the run, but ironically, did well last week versus Jeanty. He also struggles with tackling as he has 18 misses on the season.
The third interior linebacker to watch for is redshirt junior Dominic DeLuca. He entered this season with 58 tackles including seven for a loss, four passes defended, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions including a pick-six in 26 games played across the last two years. This season, DeLuca has recorded 38 tackles including four for a loss and three interceptions including a pick-six in 14 games played, including at least one tackle in 12 games. He suffered an injury in the second half of the Kent St contest and missed the following game versus Illinois. The junior’s best performance of the year occurred versus SMU when he had five tackles, two interceptions including a 23-yard pick-six, and half of a sack. DeLuca has been great as a pass rusher when needed, totaling eight pressures on just 28 pass rush snaps, and he has been good against the run. He has struggled in coverage, having allowed 16 receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets. Also, he struggles with tackling, as he has 11 misses on the year.
Up front, Penn St features three solid defensive tackles starting with junior Zane Durant. Last season, he had 17 tackles including six for a loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 13 games played. This year, Durant has recorded 39 tackles including ten for a loss and three sacks. He has at least one tackle in 14 games including a season-high of five versus Ohio St and then at Minnesota. The junior tackle has been good against the run and as a pass rusher this year with 27 pressures on 337 pass rush snaps. Durant has struggled with 12 missed tackles including four across the past three games.
The second tackle to highlight is redshirt senior Dvon J-Thomas. He entered this season with 56 tackles including nine for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 39 games played across the last three years. This season, the senior has 34 tackles including four for a loss. He has at least one tackle in 13 games including a season-high of five and half of a sack versus Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. J-Thomas excels against the run and is also a good pass rusher with 11 pressures on 238 pass rush snaps. Like Durant, he has struggled with nine missed tackles this year including five in the past two games.
The final player to highlight on this Nittany Lions defense is senior tackle, Coziah Izzard. He entered this season with 47 tackles including 11 for a loss, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles in 33 games played across the last three years. The senior has been good against the run and is a solid tackler with just two misses on the year. Izzard has struggled as a pass rusher with seven pressures on 172 pass rush snaps.
With a date to the National Championship on the line, these two teams will be going to war tonight in the Orange Bowl. It should be a great game, featuring two battle-tested squads who both think they can win this game. Who comes out on top? We find out tonight in Miami.
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