Indiana is entering its toughest matchup since Ohio State as they travel to play Penn State. The Hoosiers are without their starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. for the rest of the season, and the Nittany Lions are coming off of a loss against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

With Peyton Ramsey leading the team, it'll be tough for Indiana to win, but I think the mindset of the team will keep them prepared for a close, Big Ten matchup.

Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. Get a 60-Day FREE trial to TheHoosier.com with promo code IU60

Indiana is coming off its second bye week of the season with a little bit of recognition. Coming in at No. 24 in the AP poll, the Hoosiers are ranked for the first time since 1994 ahead of Saturday's matchup with No. 9 Penn State. However, they'll be deep in the heart of State College without their starting quarterback.

Redshirt senior Michael Penix Jr. underwent surgery on his right sternoclavicular joint, leaving redshirt junior Peyton Ramsey at the helm for the rest of the season. Ramsey's leadership, preparation and ability to win games for the Hoosiers with Penix's absences prompted head coach Tom Allen to promote the quarterback to team captain.

Indiana's last football game came two weeks ago in a 35-3 thrashing of Northwestern at home. With the week off to rest and focus on Penn State, the team will have good position to make a run at an upset. However, the Nittany Lions lost a tough game in the Big Ten last week, dropping them outside of the College Football Playoff top-four. The Minnesota Golden Gophers were the victor of a 31-26 contest that saw Nittany Lions' quarterback Sean Clifford throw three interceptions.

Clifford had a chance to win the game in the end, but threw his final interception of the game, giving Minnesota the victory. Penn State will surely be fired up to bounce back at home against Indiana.

Indiana defensive backs vs. Penn State receivers

Penn State doesn't have a myriad of pass catchers to throw to, but the ones at the team's disposal contribute in a big way. Junior wide receiver KJ Hamler is one of the quickest, most explosive players in the entire country, and he has the ability to take a quick pass to the end zone on any given play.

Alongside him, sophomore tight end Pat Freiermuth is the second-leading receiver on the team. Standing at 6-foot-5, he creates matchup problems for opposing defenses.

It'll be up to Indiana's man-to-man defense not to lose sight of these two talented players. Freshman defensive back Tiawan Mullen could be in store for a heavy workload against Hamler, while the Hoosiers' safeties will have to matchup with Freiermuth.

The ability to keep receivers in front of them will be huge if Indiana wants to stay competitive in this game.

Tiawan Mullen, Cornerback

As mentioned before, Mullen is in for an important role in the Indiana secondary. Because of his tight coverage ability, I suspect he'll be tasked with shadowing Hamler on Saturday.

Mullen was able to essentially eliminate Michigan State's Darrell Steward earlier in the year, but Hamler presents a different type of challenge. The Penn State receiver is agile, fast and can run any route in the route tree.

If Mullen can't keep up with the speedy receiver, it's going to be a long night for the Indiana defense. However, if he can step up to his competition and enough plays, it's quite possible that the Hoosiers steal the momentum from the Nittany Lions. Remember, Clifford threw the ball to the Minnesota defense three times a week ago.

KJ Hamler, Wide Receiver

To this point it is already very clear that Hamler is a huge threat to the Indiana defense. He'll line up all over the field for Penn State on Saturday, as he's done all season. Not only is he a threat on offense, but he is also one of the most dangerous kickoff returners in the country.

Hamler has 739 receiving yards on the season and eight touchdowns. While he hasn't taken a return back to the house this season, his speed makes him a constant threat on both kickoffs and punts.

Pat Freiermuth, Tight End

The big-bodied sophomore is second on the team with 392 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He is a red zone threat, but will most likely be matched up with the Hoosiers' athletic husky Marcelino Ball.

Should Penn State get to the end zone, look for Freiermuth to be heavily targeted.

Micah Parsons, Linebacker

Sophomore linebacker Micah Parsons does it all for the Penn State defense. He leads the team with 68 total tackles — 18 more than the next closest Nittany Lion. He is also second on the team in tackles for loss and has recorded two sacks.

Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer will have to manage his strategy with Ramsey to avoid Parsons, whether it be running the football with sophomore Stevie Scott or attempting short throws over the middle of the field.

It's going to be a tall order for the Ramsey-led Indiana Hoosiers to walk into Beaver Stadium and steal a win against the Penn State Nittany Lions. However, this team has the tools to make for a competitive matchup.

Penn State just has so much firepower on offense, and I don't believe Indiana is equipped to win a shootout without Penix in the lineup. I believe Indiana will keep it close, though.

Score: Penn State 38, Indiana 27