6 Penn State thoughts with Outback Bowl matchup vs. No. 22 Arkansas one week away

We’re firmly entrenched in bowl season now as college football took a break for Christmas Day. And that means we’re one week away from Penn State getting its turn in the postseason against No. 22 Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.

The matchup is still scheduled for noon on Jan. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. It’s Penn State’s first bowl appearance since the 2019 Cotton Bowl. Arkansas hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2016.

Each team has something different at stake. The Nittany Lions (7-5) are trying to end a once-promising season on a high note after they lost five of their final seven games. The Razorbacks (8-4) are enjoying their most successful season since 2011 and are trying to end it on a high note.

With the game now a week away, here are six thoughts on the matchup.

1. The Penn State roster for the bowl game is beginning to come into shape.

Penn State still has a couple players who could opt out of the Outback Bowl — safety Jaquan Brisker, wide receiver Jahan Dotson and defensive end Arnold Ebiketie come to mind — and there’s still time for those (and other) announcements to come. But the Nittany Lions have gotten some clarity over the past two weeks or so.

Quarterback Sean Clifford, safety Ji’Ayir Brown and safety Jonathan Sutherland are returning for extra seasons. Linebackers Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks are headed to the NFL and won’t play in the bowl game. Quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson and offensive lineman Des Holmes, among others, are in the transfer portal.

Those announcements help add clarity to how the Nittany Lions will look when they face the Razorbacks on New Year’s Day. And it helps put some players in the spotlight, such as…

2. Curtis Jacobs will be one of the more intriguing Nittany Lions defenders to watch.

…sophomore Curtis Jacobs, who is slated to be the lone starting linebacker suiting up against Arkansas. Jacobs, an athletic and talented defender who played safety in high school, should see his role change a little bit in the defense. Jacobs primarily played out in space and in coverage, but with Smith’s absence, Jacobs should play in the box more and be more involved on a play-to-play basis.

That means there should be plenty of opportunities for Jacobs to make plays, and he could provide a preview of the type of impact he can make for Penn State in 2022.

3. Ji’Ayir Brown is hoping to follow in Jaquan Brisker’s footsteps.

Given how Brown played in 2021 — team-high 56 solo tackles, team-leading four interceptions — there was a train of thought that the Lackawanna College product could be off to the NFL alongside Brisker, his former JuCo teammate. But Brown is taking advantage of his extra year of eligibility, and he’s hoping to receive a similar boost as Brisker when it comes to his future.

Brisker was a fringe All-American in 2020, and he entered the 2021 season with some preseason fanfare. After his performance, Brisker was firmly on some postseason All-American teams. Brown was a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021, and his name should be in the conversation for some preseason award watch lists on the defensive side of the ball. Then, Brown has to back it up.

4. The Arkansas offense is ripe for a breakout star.

Every bowl season, there are a couple players who seemingly come out of nowhere to put up big games for their teams. And the way that Arkansas’ bowl preparation has gone, the Razorbacks definitely look like they could have a breakout player or two in the Outback Bowl.

The main reasons for that are two of their top opt-outs, wide receiver Treylon Burks and defensive lineman Tre Williams. Burks was the top offensive weapon for Arkansas with 67 catches for 1,123 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams led the Hogs with six sacks. The Razorbacks are going to need to get production from somewhere on both sides of the ball.

5. It wouldn’t be a surprise to hear the names of these young offensive linemen this week.

Penn State needs help on the offensive line, as has been well-documented over the past few months. The weeks leading up to and including the bowl game provide an opportunity for some younger players to make major strides and set themselves up for their futures with the Nittany Lions.

The names worth watching this week: redshirt freshman Olu Fashanu, redshirt freshman Golden Israel-Achumba, freshman Landon Tengwall and redshirt freshman Jimmy Christ. It remains to be seen what left tackle Rasheed Walker, a redshirt junior with NFL aspirations, elects to do in terms of the bowl game. But if Walker opts out, then potentially Fashanu or Tengwall could get the opportunity to start against an SEC defense.

But this is an important time for some younger Penn State offensive linemen to make strides forward in their careers, and the Outback Bowl environment is a prime opportunity.

6. What will we see from the Penn State offense?

Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich acknowledged last week that his unit didn’t perform well enough in his first year on the job, and there will need to be some significant improvements going into next year from both himself and the players.

With more than a month between games, it will be interesting to see what kind of game plan Yurcich implements for Penn State against Arkansas. The personnel might be a little different, but Clifford should be healthier after more than a month of rest. That bodes well for the passing game, even with Dotson currently a question mark, and the offense as a whole.

Of course, the most focus will remain on the running game, which never got going in 2021. Sophomore Keyvone Lee showed some flashes of potential, but maybe the month off will help junior Noah Cain get back on track. He was at his strongest earlier in the year.

Penn State scored 30 points just once in the final two months of the season, and that included a defensive touchdown. A top performance from Yurcich and his unit could certainly alleviate some concerns entering the offseason.