Fortuna Files: Same old story for Penn State
Plus thoughts across the Big Ten, and whatever's left of the ACC.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Sixteen thoughts from another surprise-filled weekend, from No. 2 Indiana needing every blade of grass to the ACC needing … well, a worthy champion, I suppose?
1. I hate to pile on, especially when the unit played its tail off Saturday, but you know what every big-game Penn State loss seems to have in common? A defense that can’t make a stop in crunch time.
2. The Nittany Lions allowed Indiana to go 87 yards in the final two minutes on the game-winning drive. They couldn’t come up with the one stop they needed in OT against Oregon. They gave up 24 second-half points in the Orange Bowl to a Notre Dame offense that until that point had been one dimensional. They allowed Ohio State to bleed out the final 5:13 last year. Should I keep going?
3. Look, PSU’s offense has been abysmal at times in situational football. That unit, first and foremost, is what ultimately did in James Franklin. But let’s not let the D off the hook here, either.