i watched and had the same impression. I thought NW was gutty but just didn't have the horses. Wiscy is Illinois, with a little better running game and a worse defense from what I saw. Dangerous at home? YES. But if we play our game we should win.I watched the Wisky-NW game (I know, that's 30 minutes I'll never get back) and I just didn't see much from either team. NW just has nothing going on. They are small and slow.
Wisky is bigger and controlled LOS; the game was only close for as long as it was because Wisky QB does not have a great arm, throws into coverage and gets picked accordingly.
Anyway from that game I didn't see anything for PSU to worry about. But .... you go on the road in the B10 with a high ranking, and stuff happens. Power goes out to your high-rise hotel and players miss their morning routine climbing steps down from the 25th floor and they're eating cold pizza for breakfast and suddenly it's halfway through the first quarter and they're down 21-0...