Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Turns a Corner With Back-to-Back Wins

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Penn State Nittany Lions are riding high after back-to-back wins over undefeated opponents.

When Penn State was dominated 49-10 by Michigan on September 24 many fans began to panic. It was all doom and gloom, and the talk of James Franklin’s job security began to swirl. Fast forward two weeks, and the Nittany Lions have completely changed the narrative.

Penn State was sitting at 2-2, 0-1 in the Big Ten, and had a real chance of dropping back-to-back home games against undefeated opponents.

However, the young team wasn’t ready to give up yet.

Trailing by three points with under a minute left in regulation against Minnesota, quarterback Trace McSorley didn’t panic against the difficult odds. He led a masterful drive, including a 26-yard scramble to put the Nittany Lions in position to kick a game-tying filed goal.

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After a big stand by the defense, Saquon Barkley took one to the house for the overtime victory.

The victory over Minnesota was more than just a conference win. It was really one of the first times in the James Franklin era that the team showed the type of heart that’s needed for a team to come back from adversity.

Riding high from the comeback victory in overtime, the Nittany Lions carried a lot of momentum into a big matchup with Maryland. Like Minnesota, the Terrapins came to Beaver Stadium with an unblemished record.

Penn State jumped on the Terrapins right from the start of the game. It was the Nittany Lions’ most complete game in a long time. Offense, defense, and special teams — all facets of the game were on point. Perhaps more importantly, the team seemed to have a since of swagger surrounding it.

The game against Maryland finally showcased the potential of the new Joe Moorhead offense. Also, a young and battered defense has started to grow and improve.

Now, with a bye week up next, the Nittany Lions are in a much better position than they were just two weeks ago. Sitting at 4-2, bowl eligibility is just two wins away. That seems like a real possibility with teams like Purdue, Indiana and Rutgers on the horizon.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go in the season. Coming out of the bye Penn State will host the mighty Buckeyes in the annual White Out game. The Nittany Lions will certainly be underdogs in that one.

If nothing else, Nittany Nation has more confidence heading into the next game than it would have. Additionally, the heart and mettle of the team has continued to grow.

Even with a loss in the next game, Penn State has already made big strides this season. The team has begun to turn a corner and can now set a foundation for things to come. The panic from a few weeks ago has transformed into hope and confidence moving forward.

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