No. 3 Penn State is hungry for the opportunity to finally fill its trophy case with a Big Ten title
The Nittany Lions are a win away from collecting the Big Ten title. Standing in its way is an undefeated Oregon team hungry to establish its dominance as a conference newcomer.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State has had an empty trophy case in its team meeting room for years. It serves as a reminder that the job isn’t finished until a trophy is inside after a given season. Now, the No. 3 Nittany Lions have a chance to complete the journey as they head to the Big Ten title game on Saturday (8 p.m., CBS3) in Indianapolis.
No. 3 Penn State (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) will face Oregon (12-0, 9-0) at Lucas Oil Stadium. Nittany Lions players admit they didn’t expect to be in this position, but , they’re as locked in as ever to face the No. 1 team in the country.
“A ring for us players, that’s huge,” sophomore linebacker Tony Rojas said Wednesday. “We want to fill up one of the cases that we have empty on purpose.”
Beating Oregon
The task won’t be easy. The Ducks have three wins against ranked opponents, including No. 10 Boise State and common opponent No. 6 Ohio State.
Coach James Franklin says he’s excited for the challenge Oregon represents.
“Great opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the country,” Franklin said.
» READ MORE: Follow the Inquirer's full coverage of Penn State athletics right here!
Naturally, the Nittany Lions will face some of the best talent they’ve seen all year. It starts with Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown for 3,275 yards and a 24-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Rojas noted that Gabriel’s arm talent is the “best” Penn State’s seen all season. He and Franklin agree his offensive weapons have been a big help, but Franklin’s been impressed with Gabriel’s poise.
“You’re not going to give him a whole lot that he hasn’t seen before. And he was surrounded with really good talent,” Franklin said. “It’s a combination of skill, it’s a combination of his team, and it’s a combination of the guys that he has around them, plus experience.”
The aforementioned talent includes 1,000-yard running back Jordan James and receivers Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, and Traeshon Holden, who’ve combined for 1,879 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.
The receiving corps is considered among the best in the country. It presents a challenge for a Penn State pass defense that’s given up the seventh-fewest passing yards per game (169.8). It’s the type of matchup fifth-year corner Jalen Kimber has always dreamed of.
“You always want to go against the best,” Kimber said. “You’re able to go out there and show what you’re capable of, and that’s what we’re ready to do.”
Using experience
Like Gabriel, Kimber has seen tons of college football — and it’s not his first go-around with a couple of Oregon’s players.
Kimber played two years at Georgia before spending the next two at Florida and now his final at Penn State.
While at Florida, Kimber faced Stewart, who previously spent two seasons at Texas A&M and had eight catches for 120 yards against the Gators in 2022. His impression of Stewart remains the same.
“He’s a savvy route-runner,” Kimber said. “He’s just an overall good wide receiver [who] understands the game.”
Kimber’s Georgia squad faced Alabama and Holden in the 2021 SEC title game and then again that same year in the national championship. He’s using that experience along with what he’s amassed with his time at Penn State to preach a next-play mentality to the younger players.
He’s also making sure they hammer home every detail.
“Every yard matters,” Kimber said. “Can’t go out there and think that you might have another opportunity because you might not have another opportunity.”
» READ MORE: Penn State reloads on talent with 2025 recruiting class while preparing for Big Ten title game