STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- — James Franklin believes his team has played well enough over the first two weeks of the season, and he knows the Nittany Lions need to tighten up before the schedule gets much tougher.

The No. 2 Nittany Lions (2-0) have their final tuneup against Villanova (1-0) on Saturday before No. 4 Oregon comes to town on Sept. 27. Franklin wants his team to be much more explosive in the looming rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship game.

But explosive plays have been tough to come by so far.

“They’ll come organically just by doing the things we should be doing,” Franklin said. “Breaking tackles, making people miss as receivers, and running backs, maximizing the opportunities that we get, hitting a few more of the throws, straining in protection a little bit longer, all those things.”

So far, drops, penalties, missed blocks and off-the-mark throws have slowed the Nittany Lions. They haven’t kept them from dominating non-conference opponents Nevada and FIU. Still, as Franklin put it after the team’s 34-0 win over the Panthers, the Nittany Lions have left “a lot of meat on the bone.”

Franklin said the offense was operating at only 10.9% explosiveness. He also took issue with its third down performances where Penn State converted only 3 of 12 third downs against FIU. As a result, FIU held the ball for more than 34 minutes.

Defensively, Penn State didn’t break and posted its fifth shutout in as many seasons, the only FBS team to have five shutouts over the last five seasons.

Still, FIU was able to mount six drives into Penn State territory. The Nittany Lions are still learning how to play in new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense.

“I do think we can be more of a suffocating style defense,” Franklin said. “I still think our defense is thinking and not playing as fast as maybe we have in the past, and that’s what’s going to be important this week and then obviously moving forward as well, just getting these guys playing fast and confident in some of the tweaks of the new system.”

Outside matchup

Franklin singled out Villanova offensive tackle Stephane Voltaire as a player who’s flashed on film.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pound senior has started 31 games since 2022 and will be the next contender to try to stop Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton on the outside. Sutton already has 4 1/2 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass defended.

Penn State got defensive end Zuriah Fisher back last week from a long injury absence. Fisher, who hadn’t played since the 2023 Peach Bowl, gives Penn State another dynamic pass rusher in addition to Sutton and freshman Chaz Coleman, who has emerged as a threat early.

Classic Bus Ride

This game is part of a series scheduled before 2021. Penn State won the first game 38-17.

For Villanova coach Mark Ferrante, playing an FBS team just down the road for a big payday is a no-brainer. These games are why the Wildcats can charter flights across the country, outfit their players with top-shelf gear, and maintain their nutrition program.

“These games mean a lot,” Ferrante said.

Especially when they can take a bus. Villanova and Penn State are just 179 miles apart. It will be the third bus trip to an FBS stadium the Wildcats have taken in the last four years.

“Who knew four years later they’d be No. 2 in the country,” Ferrante said. “But I always say, if we’re going to play a money game or a guarantee game, then I prefer it to be a bus trip, because as soon as you have to take a charter, it’s going to eat up some of that money you’re trying to put back in the program.”

Noise prep

Based on his team’s experience in 2021, Ferrante doesn’t think noise in the 107,000-seat Beaver Stadium will be much of an issue.

Before then, facilities crew members used backpack leaf blowers to create excruciating noise while the Wildcats practiced.

“When we got to the game, our guys felt that they were OK,” Ferrante said. “Maybe the crowd doesn’t get as excited for us coming into their stadium as maybe they will when Oregon rolls in or something like that.”

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