Nate Sudfeld and Jordan Howard are travelling to Penn State on Saturday for the Big Ten matchup against the Nittany Lions.
That much we know.
And yet, as I drive to State College on Friday, that will continue to be the theme of my thought process as the Hoosiers try to bounce back from last week’s loss to Ohio State.
The obvious question: Can Sudfeld and Howard be ready for Penn State?
My best guess is that at the very least Sudfeld will try to give it a go. I know he wanted to get back in the game on Saturday against Ohio State but the coaching staff opted to take the safe approach. It didn’t hurt that Zander Diamont had led IU on a long touchdown drive and then scampered 79 yards for a touchdown a little bit later. That had to make the Sudfeld decision a little easier.
But when you look at Saturday’s game at Penn State and ask yourself who gives you the best chance to come out of Happy Valley with a victory over the Nittany Lions for the first time in school history, you have to think that’s Sudfeld.
All you have to remember is what Sudfeld did against these same Nittany Lions two years ago in Bloomington. He completed 23 of 38 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns and IU manhandled Penn State that day 44-24.
Contrast that to last season when Penn State won in Bloomington, 13-7. The quarterback that day was Diamont, filling in for the injured Sudfeld. Most people left Memorial Stadium that day believing that IU had missed a golden opportunity to beat Penn State for a second year in a row. But the reality was that without Sudfeld at the helm, the Hoosiers just couldn’t get it done.
Diamont was 13 of 27 for 68 yards. He also ran for 58 yards but IU’s offense was stuck in second gear. Indiana’s only touchdown last season against Penn State was on a 47 yard interception return for a score by Mark Murphy.
And I haven’t even talked about Howard. If both Sudfeld and Howard are in the lineup, I honestly believe that Indiana has a chance to knock Penn State off in Happy Valley. If the IU offense is unpredictable in terms of running and throwing the football and the play action fake is working with Howard in the lineup, Indiana has a chance to put a big number. And if you can score 30 or more in this game, one would think you’d have a pretty good chance to win.
But we’re getting too far ahead of ourselves. The big question right now is how will Sudfeld and Howard feel tomorrow when they step on the field early, go through their paces and see if they can play against the Nittany Lions.
If they can, don’t be surprised if IU heads to Homecoming with a 5-1 record. If they can’t go, however, I would think 4-2 would be a lot more realistic.
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