Penn State Has Crucial Area to Clean Up Ahead of Minnesota Game

The Penn State Nittany Lions were able to grab a massive win last week against the Washington Huskies on the road, improving to 5-4 on the season.

After a four-game losing streak, Penn State has now won two straight games heading into the current week. The Nittany Lions have looked much fresher over the last few weeks, with the bye giving them new life.

Penn State will now be hosting the Minnesota Golden Gophers this week, giving the team a chance to earn another Big Ten win. Minnesota is also 5-4 on the season, with the team showing a lot of fight over the year.

But as the Nittany Lions prepare for the game against Minnesota, there is one area that the team does have to clean up before kickoff. This would be making sure that the game is played for the entire 60 minutes, not just the first half.

Penn State was held scoreless in the second half of the game against Washington, having to survive a late-game rally from the Huskies. The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 28-6 lead at halftime against Washington, before the Huskies stormed back to outscore them 19-0 in the second half.

This wasn't the first time that Penn State had put together a poor second-half effort this year, with the team blowing a 20-10 lead against Wisconsin earlier in the season. The play-calling from the coaching staff became stagnant, with the offense falling short in the second half, and this is an area that needs to be addressed.

Penn State racked up 303 yards in the first two quarters, but could only put together 116 yards over the final two. The Nittany Lions were aided by a pair of penalties on the Huskies, allowing them to keep the lead and get the win.

As the team prepares for Minnesota, this will need to change; otherwise, the Nittany Lions will likely lose this week. The Golden Gophers have been feisty this season, with the team pulling off multiple key wins late in games.

Penn State has the talent to win this game, but the team is going to need a full team effort throughout the entire contest to claim victory. This game could push this team toward bowl eligibility, which could be huge in Matt Campbell's first year as head coach.

Kickoff for the upcoming game between the Nittany Lions and Golden Gophers is set for 4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET.