This weekend the Penn Nittany Lions will face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Nittany Lions have won two weeks in a row and are in hopes for a Penn State win streak. The Nittany Lions have had strong team wins, and they have a strong chance to keep the momentum against Rutgers. Here are three players to watch in hopes of a Penn State win streak.
Penn State Win Streak: Johnny Dixon
Junior cornerback Johnny Dixon is in his second year at Penn State, previously spending two years at South Carolina. With a chance of Joey Porter Jr. not playing this weekend, after missing last week’s game vs Maryland due to appendicitis, Dixon is a player to watch in hopes of a Penn State win streak.
In his career, Dixon has a total of 62 combined tackles, 50 of which are solo, and three sacks. According to ESPN, Dixon also has a total of 13 pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one interception. Despite having pretty decent sacks, Dixon has been overlooked compared to Porter.
This season, Dixon has 15 combined tackles, 12 of which are solo, according to Sports Reference. Dixon also has one interception, one forced fumble, and eight pass deflections. Head coach, James Franklin had high praise for Dixon and his improvement, according to a tweet by Audrey Snyder, Penn State reporter for the Athletic. Rutgers has a poor offense, and quarterback, Gavin Wimsatt has thrown six interceptions this season, according to ESPN. Dixon can potentially take advantage of this and force turnovers for the team as they hope for a Penn State win streak.
Penn State Win Streak: Brenton Strange
Junior tight end Brenton Strange has done well this season. He is in his fourth year with the Nittany Lions and continuously gets better. With the way Penn State moves the ball around to multiple players, there is a good chance he will be targeted and be a playmaker. Strange is a player to watch in a hopeful Penn State win streak.
Through his four years at Penn State, Strange has a total of 64 receptions for 714 yards, according to ESPN. He also has 11 touchdowns for the Nittany Lions. This season has been his best year by far for the Nittany Lions. This season, Strange has had a total of 321 yards from 26 receptions and five touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. With the way the team does not prioritize one person, Strange can be a difference-maker against Rutgers.
Penn State Win Streak: Mitchell Tinsley
Senior wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley has been a top receiver for this Nittany Lions team. Between him and Parker Washington, the team has been threatening because of their passing game. This is Tinsley’s first season with the team, playing at Western Kentucky previously. With his ability to get open for the pass, Tinsley is a player to watch in hopes of a Penn State win streak.
Over the course of three years, Tinsley has had a total of 169 receptions for 2,231 yards. He has also scored 22 touchdowns, and has an average of 13.2 yards per reception, according to ESPN. This season, despite not having the highest receptions, Tinsley has still made his name known only being there one year.
This season, Tinsley has had a total of 39 receptions for 452 yards and four touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. With so many offensive weapons, Tinsley can be aggressive and score often against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. According to the NCAA, Rutgers has allowed opponents to score 13 passing touchdowns against them. The Nittany Lions could take advantage of this, especially in hopes of a Penn State win streak.
The Penn State Nittany Lions will head to New Jersey to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 3:30 Eastern. Watch these three players as the team looks for a Penn State win streak.
For more NFL and NCAA content:
Check out Rutgers top five NFL prospects here. Also, check out my article on why Joey Porter Jr. did not play against Maryland, before the update of being out with appendicitis.