Gameday is just a few days away. So with Saturday looming, it's time to start digging a little deeper into the intricacies of the contest. Football, at its core, is a game of individual matchups that all work together to form one play. All individual showdowns are crucial. But there are still some that are more important and influential than others. Let's look at the three matchups that may decide Northwestern's game against Penn State.
1. Pat Fitzgerald vs. James Franklin
When James Franklin was hired by Penn State in 2014 to replace Bill O'Brien, not many Big Ten coaches were more familiar with Franklin than Pat Fitzgerald.