EVANSTON, ILL. -- Penn State lost its leading tackler when linebacker Gino Capone sprained the MCL in his right knee late in the first quarter attempting to tackle Northwestern running back Noah Herron.

Capone's status for the rest of the year is unknown. The senior recorded three tackles before leaving the game.

With Capone out of the line up, the Nittany Lions turned to junior Tim Johnson to fill the void. Johnson has seen very little playing time since joining the Lions in 2000. He didn't record a tackle.

After a few series, Penn State made the switch at middle linebacker and brought in Andy Ryland. He finished the game in the middle for the Lions. Ryland had 12 tackles in the game a career high.

Scott who? Scott where?

Freshman Austin Scott made the trip to Evanston, but you wouldn't have known it, as the freshman never got on the field.

The closest that Scott got to Ryan Field was taking handoffs during pre-game warm-ups.

Michael Robinson was the starter at running back and senior Ricky Upton spelled him throughout the game. Fullback Sean McHugh carried the ball 10 times and Robinson carried it 15 times. Upton didn't have a carry.

Fellow freshman Tony Hunt also didn't play for the Lions.

The Wright stuff

With Jason Wright seeing limited action, Northwestern turned to its' backup running back Herron.

Herron turned in an outstanding performance rushing for 180 yards on 35 carries, both of which were career-highs.

However, Herron didn't get in the end zone.

When Northwestern got near the goal line, it turned to its' reliable back Wright, who carried it in. Wright only had six carries for 21 yards and 39 yards receiving when Penn State left him uncovered in the first quarter, and Wright fumbled on that play.

Northwestern football coach Randy Walker said that his squad prepared all week as if Wright wouldn't be available.

"He was better than a week ago," Walker said. "You could tell earlier, we were probably better with Noah."

Herron became the 10th player to rush for 100 yards against Penn State. He was also the third backup running back to break the century mark, joining Purdue's Jerod Void and Wisconsin's Stanley Booker.

The last stand

Before allowing 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Lions were able to put a wall up in front of the end zone.

On the first possession of the third quarter, Penn State got manhandled by the running of Herron, but the defense held its' own inside the 10-yard line.

On first down, Herron picked up two yards. Fullback Gilles Lezi dropped a sure touchdown pass from Brett Basanez on second down. Basanez then completed a pass to the one-yard line to Shaun Herbert.

Paul Posluszny, who had eight tackles, filled the open hole and stopped Herron a half-yard short of the end zone on fourth-and-one.