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The good and the bad from the Penn State defense in loss to Ole Miss

Headshot 5x7 reduced qualityby:Thomas Frank Carr•12/31/23•

ThomasFrankCarr

Abdul Carter Penn State Football On3
Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) is tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Abdul Carter (11) in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

The Penn State defense struggled to contain a high-powered Ole Miss offense on Saturday, losing 38-25 in the 2023 Peach Bowl. The normally synchronous defense was left disjointed by opt-outs and the loss of defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. While one specific situation doesn’t explain the entire performance, the collective attrition, plus an untimely injury to Abdul Carter, led to the final result. We’ll break down some of the good and the bad from today’s performance.