Indiana had Penn State on the ropes last season in Bloomington. The Hoosiers kept a lid on Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 58 yards on 33 carries, and held a 31-28 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Lions’ quick-strike offense ultimately proved to be too much as they wiggled out of a jam and remained on track for a Big Ten title with a 45-31 road win. That test preceded back-to-back blowouts that paved the way for a Big Ten title matchup with Wisconsin.
Penn State coach James Franklin used the word “gutsy” and “resilient” to describe his team that day.