If Penn State wants to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive, it’ll have to win out — and that starts with beating Michigan State in Happy Valley. Here are the key matchups to Saturday’s game that we think should go a long way in determining the winner:
Josh Moyer: Michigan State running game vs. Penn State front-seven
Let’s break it down to a digestible stat: If Michigan State ends up with 40 running attempts, it’s got a great chance to win this game. If it doesn’t, well, it doesn’t stand a great chance.
Since last season, the Spartans are 12-0 when running the ball 40 times or more.