Rutgers @ Penn State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2014 ) Penn State 13, Rutgers 10

Coming off a heartbreaking defeat to Washington State, Rutgers coach Kyle Flood spent more time this week fielding questions about his team’s latest off-field incident than he did about the loss, upcoming opponent or record-setting performance by Janarion Grant. The Scarlet Knights will try to regroup yet once again and return the focus to the field Saturday when they visit Penn State in the Big Ten opener for each team.

Leonte Carroo, the school’s all-time receptions touchdown leader (22), has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend by “picking her up and slamming her down on a concrete surface” outside the team’s training facility following last week’s 37-34 loss. That suspension follows on the heels of an investigation of Flood over improper inquiries about the academic status of a player and the dismissal of five players 10 minutes before the opener after they were arrested for violent crimes. "As the head coach, everything ultimately reflects on you and it's part of the job,” Flood said this week. "I understand that people that aren't as familiar with our program, and all they see are the incidents of the last couple weeks, how they could have that perception (that the program is out of control). But I think the people that know our program, I don't believe they have that perception.” Penn State, which is used to being the center of scandalous talk, is coming off a 27-14 victory over Buffalo when an offensive line that yielded 10 sacks in an opening 27-10 loss at Temple did not allow one against the MAC school.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Penn State -10

ABOUT RUTGERS (1-1): Late Wednesday afternoon, the school suspended Flood for three games and fined him $50,000 after it was found he “circumvented established policies and procedures”; associate head coach Norries Wilson is expected to run the team during Flood's suspension. The Scarlet Knights had two touchdowns called back by penalty last week and wasted a school-record 337 all-purpose yards from Grant, which included two fourth-quarter touchdown kick returns (a punt and kickoff) that provided leads before the Cougars pushed over the winning score with 13 seconds remaining. Rutgers yielded 559 yards – 478 through the air – to the Cougars, so its defense may be just the elixir for a struggling Penn State passing attack.

ABOUT PENN STATE (1-1): Despite the improved line play against Buffalo, NFL prospect Christian Hackenberg still couldn’t get the passing game off the ground, completing 14-of-27 passes for 128 yards. However, he got help from freshman Saquon Barkley, who gained all but 14 of his rushing 115 yards in the fourth quarter, scooting for 33 yards, hurdling a defender on a 17-yarder and scoring from 9 yards with just over nine minutes left. All-American defensive tackle candidates Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson are getting help from former walk-on Carl Nassib, a defensive end who recorded an interception, forced two fumbles and five tackles against Buffalo after posting 10 tackles in the opener.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. After opening the series with a 26-3 loss in 1918, the Nittany Lions have won 23 of the last 24 games, including a 13-10 triumph last season when Hackenberg threw for 309 yards and drove the team 80 yards on its final possession for the winning touchdown.

2. Rutgers has topped 400 yards in total offense in four straight games dating back to last season.

3. Penn State churned out 200 yards rushing against Buffalo – a total surpassed just twice last season - while DeAndre Thompkins had a 58-yard punt return and Nick Scott had a 58-yard kickoff return.

PREDICTION: Penn State 24, Rutgers 14