No. 6 Penn State looking to celebrate Homecoming with win over UMass

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 6 Penn State will ring in the 103rd Homecoming game by facing off with UMass at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 14 in Beaver Stadium.

Nine years have elapsed since the Nittany Lions and Minutemen met. The last meeting saw Penn State earn a 48-7 victory with just three rushing yards given up all game.

Scouting the Coaches

It’s important to note the coaching history that these programs share. Penn State head coach James Franklin and UMass head coach Don Brown worked together at Maryland from 2009-10 as offensive and defensive coordinators.

Brown’s ability to change his defensive looks kept Franklin’s offense on its toes. Brown’s tenure at the University of Michigan tested Franklin and the Nittany Lions in 2016 when the Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the country with over three sacks and nine tackles for loss.

Saturday’s matchup is the first time Franklin and Brown will meet as head coaches of their respective programs.

Scouting the Nittany Lions

Penn State comes off a bye week ready to sink its teeth into the non-conference matchup. Through five games, the blue and white are the sole FBS team to have at least 14 players record one or more sacks this season.

Adisa Isaac, Zane Durant and Coziah Izzard are all tied for the most sacks on the roster for 62 combined yards. Durant leads the pack with 4.5 tackles for loss, along with 17 other Nittany Lions who have posted tackles for loss this season.

On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Drew Allar is the only FBS quarterback remaining, with more than 150 passing attempts and no interceptions.

Allar continues to lead an established offense in the passing and running game. Their methodical approach to taking full advantage of possession time has been successful as they look to remain undefeated.

Scouting the Minutemen

Looking to snap its six-game losing streak with its latest 41-24 loss to Toledo, UMass arrives in Happy Valley with explosive plays on its side.

In the national stat lines, the Minutemen’s eight plays of 50+ yards are tied for the second-most in the category.

Running back Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams leads the charge on the turf with an average of 5.1 yards per carry and six touchdowns.

Quarterback Taisun Phommachanh, a transfer from Georgia Tech, is a rushing threat with two touchdowns, a 65.69% completion percentage and 788 total yards.

Emma Holtz is a senior majoring in public relations. To contact her, email emma.holtz01@gmail.com