2023 Rutgers Football Game: Week 12 Preview at Penn State

How To Watch, Stream & Listen

Rutgers at Penn State

Where: Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA

Kick-off: Saturday, November 18 at 12:00 PM ET

Weather: 47 degrees, sunny with a 6% chance of rain, 12 mph winds

TV: FS1 with Chris Myers (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (color)

Stream: Fox Sports App

Radio: Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network (WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM, Fox Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM/1450 AM) with Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Julian Pinnix-Odrick (analyst), and Anthony Fucilli (sideline); WRSU 88.7 FM - Dylan Allen & Eddie Kalegi; Audacy app, SiriusXM 387, Scarlet Knights app

Series History: Penn State leads all-time 26-1, last meeting Nittany Lions beat Rutgers 55-10 in 2022.

Penn State SB Nation Site: Black Shore Diaries

Returning Statistical Leaders

Rutgers

Passing: Gavin Wimsatt - 108-for-224, 48.2%, 1,356 yards, 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions

Rushing: Kyle Monangai - 942 yards on 181 carries, 5.2 ypc, 7 touchdowns

Receiving: Christian Dremel - 30 catches for 390 yards, 13.0 ypc, 3 touchdowns

Defense: Deion Jennings - 75 tackles; Aaron Lewis & Wesley Bailey - 3 sacks; Max Melton - 2 interceptions

Penn State

Passing: Drew Allar - 191-for-310, 51.1%, 1,965 yards, 21 touchdowns, 1 interception

Rushing: Kaytron Allen - 645 yards on 131 carries, 4.9 ypc, 4 touchdowns

Receiving: Keandre Lambert-Smith - 52 catches for 651 yards, 12.5 ypc, 4 touchdowns

Defense: Curtis Jacobs - 43 tackles, Adisa Isaac - 6.5 sacks, Dominic DeLuca & Daequan Hardy - 2 interceptions

What To Watch For

When Rutgers has the ball

Maybe score a point this week. That would be a start.

It’s hard to ignore the schedule. You have to play who is on your schedule and that’s fine until the competition gets stiff. The facts show that Rutgers has scored three touchdowns in these four games: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa. This matchup with Penn State has not been favorable over the years and it might not be again if the same offense shows up from last week.

Kyle Monangai was held in check last week and Gavin Wimsatt’s completion percentage actually went down. This Penn State defense is going to make it difficult once again for the Scarlet Knights.

So, what does Rutgers do when it has the ball? We are entering Week 12 and that question cannot be answered. It will be a wait-and-see approach.

When Penn State has the ball

If Penn State takes care of the ball, which it has done all season, it will be difficult for Rutgers to compete.

Drew Allar has come up small in big games this season but Penn State continues to beat up on inferior competition. Typical James Franklin. Allar has just one interception on the season and is making good decisions with the football. Rutgers will have to put pressure and get him off his spot if it wants any chance of slowing down the Nittany Lion attack.

Joe Harasymiak has drawn up strong game plans for this Rutgers defense and it will have to put another one together against a multi-faceted offense. Penn State has two talented rushers and a legitimate No. 1 receiver for Allar to work with. This is not an offense that is expected to score 40 in this matchup but Penn State can get on a roll if it all comes together.

Let’s not forget, this Rutgers defense gave up 400 yards to Iowa. That sounds impossible. It should be a frustrated unit that wants to turn in a better performance as the competition gets taken up a notch.

Could Rutgers win this game?

Anything is possible, right? That is what you say when the answer is usually a no. Penn State has won 26 out of 27 games against Rutgers and has not allowed many points. Rutgers has reached double-digits just twice against Penn State since 2014. In both games, it scored 10 points. It has not scored more than 10 points in three decades.

Final thoughts

The talent gap between these two teams is still wide and not closing anytime soon. Franklin and the Nittany Lions seem to like taking it to Rutgers whenever it can. Maybe because of the close proximity of the two teams. With this game taking place in Happy Valley, there should not be much confidence from fans. Rutgers will have one final chance to get a win next week against Maryland but regardless, six wins is six wins and a bowl game awaits.