Five reasons for concern for Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl

As the Nittany Lions head into their bowl game, they should be feeling confident about their chances after the way they closed out the season on a high note. However, their opponent, the Clemson Tigers, come in with a lot of firepower and experience. While they haven't lived up to the lofty expectations set before them either, they could still portend to be a tough out. Here are five reasons why the Nittany Lions should be concerned about the Tigers.

Overwhelming coaching advantage for Clemson

While Matt Campbell is currently hard at work building a staff in his image, interim head coach Terry Smith will be coaching this game. Unfortunately for him, it will be the hardest coaching matchup he has faced yet. Dabo Swinney is a multiple time national championship winner at Clemson, and whole they have been through a bit of a downturn over the past couple of years, Swinney's philosophies have still helped Clemson remain somewhat competitive despite his strict planning. Smith may have the emotional edge, but Swinney has they years of veteran experiecnce and grit on him.

Cade Klubnik's prowess

Another layer of experience the Tigers have is that of Qb Cade Klubnik. While his career did not pan out as expected for Clemson, he still is an experienced quarterback who will want to compete for his team until the very end. He has thrown for 2,750 yards and 16 touchdowns, lower totals than expected, but still efficient enough. Add in the fact that this will be his last chance to prove himself before potentially declaring for the NFL draft, and he will want to impress against a tough opponent in Penn State.

Defensive Stability

Even with several opt outs, including the departures of two of their best D-linemen, Clemson's defense has been quite fearsome over the course of the season. They rank 8th nationally and are good in both phases, only allowing 102.8 rushing yards per game and 20.4 points per game. Against a Penn State offense that has lost a couple of key pieces including RB Nick Singleton and OL Vega Ioane, this could be a tough day for them on that side of the football.

Momentum

While this can be said for both teams, Clemson's path to a bowl berth felt a bit more gritty. While Penn State played teams such as Michigan State, Nebraska, and Rutgers, two of which were starting true freshmen at QB, Clemson played teams such as Florida State, Louisville, and their bitter rivals South Carolina to get here. While all three of those teams had down years, they at the very least offered more of a challenge to Clemson than any offense outside of Rutgers that Penn State faced. That lack of elite competition could come back to bite Penn State as they face the most experienced QB they have faced in this stretch run.

Defensive line instability for Penn State

The defensive line were the greatest proponents for Penn State's late season surge. Now, they seem to be falling apart at the wrong time. Already having lost DT Zane Durant due to opt-out and Tony Rojas to a season-ending injury, there is now news that redshirt freshman Alex Tatsch will be out with an injury after burning his redshirt over the past six games. Penn State will have to hop no big decisions are made by any other key players on that side of the ball.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Five reasons for concern for Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl