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Penn State, Michigan State close out tough regular seasons

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Sean Clifford is grateful that the faces he’s been able to see and interact with in person have stayed close this season.

Penn State’s quarterback realizes many of them, like himself, weren’t used to losing and could’ve jumped ship, as others across the country have done by opting out due to COVID-19.

Instead, they’ve stayed on to right it. It’s why Clifford feels good about where the Nittany Lions (2-5) are headed as they end the regular season against Michigan State (2-5) on Saturday.

“A lot of teams might have just said, ‘You know what, it’s whatever. We’re going to move on to next year,'” Clifford said. “But this team has come in and worked every single day. It doesn’t matter what’s going on, what anybody is saying. We’re just trying to take care of our business and I think it’s going to pay off in the end.”

Over their last two games, the Nittany Lions have developed a gritty running game and taken better care of the football on offense in back-to-back wins.

Meanwhile, a defense that allowed 30 or more points in every loss this season surrendered just 17 against Michigan and a single touchdown against Rutgers. The Nittany Lions smothered both teams, allowing just 112 yards passing to Michigan and 122 yards passing to the Scarlet Knights.

“Those guys fly around and they’ve got a good pressure package,” Michigan State coach Mel Tucker said. “They seem to be able to play to the strength of their players, and they’re able to mix some coverages and things like that and they seem to be growing and getting better.”

Penn State’s players insist it’s because they’ve stuck together. Star linebacker Micah Parsons opted out before the season, but no other Nittany Lion has joined the more than 140 players across college football who have done so.

As a result, they believe they’ve done more than just salvage wins in the final weeks of a truncated season.

“This program has been through so much,” offensive lineman Will Fries said. “(I) think that our class has realized that it’s not just about us. It’s about the guys before us, the guys that are coming after us, so it’s on us to stick together, get the ship going in the right direction and continue to fight for this program.”

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