Penn State's offensive issues from last season are still issues in 2015. In fact, if we're going by one game, they might be worse.
For the first time since 1941, Temple defeated Penn State on Saturday by a score of 27-10, the Lions starting off the campaign on the wrong foot and Christian Hackenberg starting off the year that's supposed to make him the No. 1 draft pick in horrendous fashion.
Hackenberg was sacked a whopping 10 times Saturday, also throwing an interception as the Penn State offensive line showed it has not yet improved after the atrocious season of pass protection it had in 2014, when Hackenberg was dropped 77 times.
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Penn State started off with a 10-0 lead, Akeel Lynch rushing for a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter to make it look like the Nittany Lions would extend their 31-game win streak against the Owls.
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But Temple scored the game's next 27 points, keeping Penn State from doing anything offensively and Penn State unable to stop Temple. Three touchdown runs and a pair of field goals allowed the Owls to fly by the Lions. Temple out-gained Penn State, 317-191, and out-gained the Lions on the ground, 149-88. Penn State amassed just 63 total yards after its first two drives.
Hackenberg completed just 11 passes for 103 yards, no touchdowns and the interception, only averaging a little better than four yards per completion. Lynch ran for 78 yards on 10 carries, though 42 of those came on the single rush.
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Clearly, the problems that plagued Penn State's offensive line a season ago have yet to be solved. Last season, the Lions boasted one of the country's best defenses, offsetting the woeful offense. If the defense, though, is going to play in a fashion that allows 27 points to Temple, that could be extremely problematic.