After facing a number of uptempo, passing-oriented offenses, Penn State's defense will face a ground-and-pound Wisconsin team in Saturday's season finale in Beaver Stadium. Can the Nittany Lions' defense hold up against Montee Ball and Company and will Penn State's prolific passing game force the Badgers to throw more often? We go inside the numbers here.
177
Yards quarterback
Matt McGloin, who already holds the Penn State single-season passing yardage record, needs to break the school single-season total offense mark of 3,214 yards (Daryll Clark, 2009).
32
Receiving yards
Allen Robinson needs to become Penn State's first 1,000-yard receiver since
Bobby Engram in 1995. With 105 yards, Robinson would top Engram's Penn State record of 1,084.
6
Penn State's ranking in the Big Ten in total defense. If it stands after Saturday's game, it would be the lowest the Nittany Lions, who are allowing 353.8 yards per game, have finished in that category since they were seventh in total defense in 2003.
74.6
Rushing yards per game by Penn State running back
Zach Zwinak this season.
74.0
Rushing yards per game by USC running back
Silas Redd this season.
6
Straight games in which Wisconsin has held opponents to 14 points or less in regulation. The Badgers, who are second in the conference in scoring defense at 17.5 points per game, lost to Michigan State 16-13 in overtime and Ohio State 21-14 in overtime during that span.
12
Penn State's Big Ten ranking in kickoff returns. The Nittany Lions, who have had eight different players run kickoffs back this season, average just 18.2 yards per return.
1
Wisconsin's Big Ten ranking in kickoff coverage. The Badgers have a net average of 40.9 yards per kickoff.
3
Times the Penn State defense has allowed more than 200 yards rushing this season. Wisconsin averages 217.6 yards on the ground per game, 128.8 of them by
Montee Ball.
108
Points scored in the fourth quarter by Wisconsin this season, 35 percent of its total points. The Nittany Lions have allowed 67 points in the fourth quarter this season, 33 of them in their four losses.
