Let me run through a scenario Penn State fans are far too familiar with.
The Nittany Lions get the ball in good field position, and surely, they’ll start a promising drive that ends with points on the board. Then this happens:
1st & 10 - handoff, running back is tackled in the backfield
2nd & 12 - Choose your own (mis)adventure - short gain, incomplete pass, sack, holding penalty
3rd & long - incomplete pass
4th & long - punt
It’s a scenario that has killed drives, often after just three plays, and far too often during the past several years.