By: Pasquale Tartaro, GoPSUSports.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's defense held Indiana to 264 total yards and pitched a shutout and to propel the Nittany Lions past the Indiana Hoosiers 24-0.
The Penn State defense produced its first shutout since a 59-0 victory over Maryland in 2019. The defense held Indiana over 100 yards below its season average in total offense, and nearly 100 yards below its season average in rushing yards.
The performance also marked the first time Indiana has been held scoreless in 246 games.
"I just think we're playing really good complimentary defensive football," Franklin said. "I don't know if we're overwhelming in any area but I think the defense is doing their job, the linebackers are doing their job, the secondary is doing their job, and I think the coaches are doing a tremendous job. We're just playing really good, complimentary defensive football."
Following an interception by Indiana defensive back Raheem Layne in the first quarter, the Hoosiers took over at Penn State's 13-yard line, but to no avail.
With defensive end Arnold Ebikitie leading the stop, Penn State's defensive line stuffed Indiana running back Stephen Carr while facing a 4th-and-short situation at the four-yard line in its own territory.
"We just feel like now moving forward, that should be the standard," Ebiketie said. "We believe whenever our defense is playing our 'A' game, we believe nobody can score on us, and that should be the mindset going into every game."
The crucial stop not only maintained Penn State's 7-0 lead, but epitomized the resiliency the Nittany Lion defense has demonstrated when backed up against its own end zone this season.
"The fact that we had that stop was big for us," cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said. "(Coach Pry) speaks heavily on that.... That shows what our defense is really made of. If we can stop an offense on sudden change that just takes all the momentum away."
Following two large gains off of passes from quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Indiana marched into Penn State territory once again late in the second quarter.
But with Jesse Luketa pressuring him, Penix floated a pass into the secondary that Porter cut under for his first career interception.
"We just know if we blitz the ball is coming out fast," Porter said. "So we just know we gotta lock in and lock our guys up. That's really it. If we're blitzing that means they count on us to make the stop when he puts the ball in the air."
In the third quarter, Ebikitie and linebacker Brandon Smith collaborated to block a 30-yard field goal attempt that kept Indiana scoreless. The play marked Penn State's second blocked field goal of the season.
Later in the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions came up with their second takeaway of the night, as safety Ji'Ayir Brown intercepted a pass near the goal line off of quarterback Jack Tuttle.
The Nittany Lions have allowed only five touchdowns on 13 opposing red-zone opportunities in 2021.
The Hoosiers, who gained 373 passing yards against Western Kentucky last week, managed only 195 through the air Saturday night.
Additionally, through Indiana's first six possessions, Penn State's defense gave up just two first downs.
Indiana converted just three of its fourteen attempts on third down, and was forced to punt eight times.
"We're a defense who, it doesn't matter the score, doesn't matter what time of the game it is, we're going to go out there and play at a high level," defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher said. "That's who we are. Throughout the game, we're going to keep going."
