Penn State Brings Confidence on the Road to USC

The unbeaten Nittany Lions have one win in a hostile environment. The Trojans will provide a different challenge.

Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (13) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State will get a second glimpse of summer when it travels to Los Angeles to face USC for the first time as Big Ten opponents. But first, the Nittany Lions practiced one last time Wednesday in the October chill of State College.

The cross-country trip offers Penn State a chance to prove it deserves a fresh No. 4 ranking in this week’s AP Top 25, now seeking to remain unbeaten against a 3-2 Trojans squad. Penn State coach James Franklin and his players detailed their preparations for USC on Wednesday. 

Confidence heading to Los Angeles

Pressure is rising for Penn State. Each of its five games has passed with another win, as the team has fended off the kinds of upsets that headlined college football last weekend. After five of the top 11 teams lost, the Nittany Lions earned their first top-five ranking since 2021. 

Outside expectations may be growing as the team approaches contests against more challenging opponents like the Trojans, but Penn State remains grounded entering its first road trip requiring a flight this season. 

“There's a lot riding on this season, of course, for everybody. But I think the reality is, it's so cool that we get to fly out to California and take on a team like that,” center Nick Dawkins said. “When [you’re] able to stack these quality wins and play against different teams like that, it does add a different component of confidence.”

One of those quality wins came on the road, an experience that could prove beneficial as the team deals with travel for the second time this season. A bus ride to Morgantown, West Virginia, doesn’t meet the travel demands of a flight to Los Angeles, but Penn State proved it can handle a tough road environment with its 34-12 win over the Mountaineers in Week 1.

Dawkins and wide receiver Liam Clifford expressed their excitement to play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, both saying they grew up appreciating the history behind USC’s program.

“I always thought it was a super cool stadium, a super cool place to imagine [playing] at one day,” Clifford said. “I remember playing the old NCAA game back in the day, picking the Coliseum. It's a historic place. I'm excited to play there.”

Injury updates

Running back Nicholas Singleton participated in the open portion of practice Wednesday, a good sign after Franklin said Monday that he expected the team’s leading rusher to return against USC.

More good news: Franklin said Wednesday that he expects right tackle Anthony Donkoh back for the USC game. Donkoh left last week’s game against UCLA in the first half with an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Nolan Rucci. Donkoh has started the past six games, including the Peach Bowl, and has emerged as one of Penn State’s most physical, dependable linemen. 

Adapting game-by-game

Part of Penn State’s optimism stems from its showcased ability to compete, and win, in different ways. In each of their five wins, the Nittany Lions have performed slightly differently. Against Illinois, their defense took center stage with its pressure, recording seven sacks. Other times, Penn State’s offense has taken command, showcasing balanced production as quarterback Drew Allar’s arm has complemented a powerful ground game. The Nittany Lions feel prepared for whatever an opponent can throw their way, with varying examples of how they can win.

“That’s just been the beauty of the games that we've been playing in,” Dawkins said. “We've been finding different ways to win … so whatever [it takes] to win, we'll adapt to.”

That adaptability has especially been a defining characteristic of the wide receiver corps, which has seen three different leaders in yards (Harrison Wallace III, Omari Evans and Clifford) in five games. Clifford, coming off a career-high 107 receiving yards against UCLA, said whether he has 200 yards or zero, he shows up the next week with the same focus.

“I think that's why you've seen a bunch of different guys have success, because a lot of the guys in our room have that same mentality,” Clifford said. “It's fun to see Trey [Wallace] open up the year with a big game, and then Omari have a big game, myself have a big game, Julian [Fleming] make some plays. As much as we can spread the ball around, we're going to try to.”

Scouting USC

When the Nittany Lions line up against USC’s Miller Moss, who has thrown for 1,398 yards and nine touchdowns this season, they’ll be facing one of the most talented quarterbacks on their 2024 schedule. Franklin said Moss “did it the right way” as he developed behind Caleb Williams in USC’s system, praising the quarterback’s ability to distribute the ball to his playmakers. 

“In my mind. he's like your typical West Coast quarterback who knows how to distribute the ball,” Franklin said. “He's poised, he's calm, he's confident, he's accurate, he understands the system, he has confidence in the system, and is playing really well for them.”

Meanwhile, the Trojans also boast a formidable secondary that’s allowing 157.6 passing yards per game, a mark that’s right on par with Penn State’s 157.0. The Nittany Lions know they’ll have a challenge with USC’s defense, with Dawkins calling the opposing unit “very athletic.”

While Penn State usually travels the day before away games, the team is flying Thursday and will conduct its usual “Fast Friday” practice at SoFi Stadium. Franklin and his staff also will be doing some recruiting with the added time on the West Coast.

“We're just trying to keep our routine as similar as we possibly can,” Franklin said. 

Penn State faces USC at 3:30 p.m. Saturday ET on CBS.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.