Northwestern is no longer a very competitive team. They already lost at home to an improved but not-so-great Cal team and to Northern Illinois. Their only win was to Western Illinois. Western Illinois actually outgained the Wildcats 376-283. And that was in the Wildcats best game of the year. It was a struggle throughout for Northwestern, which converted just 3 of 14 third downs.

Now they hit the road to a very good Penn State team buoyed by the fact they recently regained bowl eligibility previously lost by the Jerry Sandusky disaster.

PSU always had an enthusiastic crowd but this is homecoming as a bowl eligible team. The carrot of knowing they are just outside the national rankings will be extra motivation to keep the pedal to the metal.