At all levels of football, almost every coach will say how important it is for their team to control the line of scrimmage — that games are won or lost in the trenches.

Last week, Michigan controlled the line of scrimmage and won the battle in the trenches, thus winning the game against the Nittany Lions, 42-7.

Penn State’s inability to control the line in big games over the past three seasons is the reason why it has been good and not great — and why it has been on the outside looking in when it comes to the College Football Playoff.

Look at all the Nittany Lions’ losses since 2016 (I’ll exclude the ones prior to that in the Franklin era because the team was decimated from the scholarship sanctions).

In 2016, Penn State lost to Pitt, Michigan and USC. The Nittany Lions gave up an average of 333.5 rushing yards per game and did not register a sack against Pitt and Michigan, and the Penn State offensive line gave up six sacks to the Wolverines and four sacks to the Panthers. Against USC, Penn State gave up 453 yards passing and registered just one sack. Those were three losses against quality opponents that Penn State had the talent to beat but didn’t because it didn’t compete up front. That wasn’t the only reason it lost, but it was a big contributor.

In 2017, Penn State had two losses to Ohio State and Michigan State. It was evident in those games that the Nittany Lions could not get to the quarterback as Dwayne Haskins (OSU) threw for 328 yards and Brian Lewerke (MSU) threw for 400 yards. Saquon Barkley averaged just 53.5 yards rushing over those two games, and the Penn State offense averaged just 2.85 yards per carry in those contest. Once again, those are signs that you’re not getting a pass rush from the defensive line or a push up front from the offensive line.

In 2018, there’s no doubt the offensive line is better and improved. But once again, in a game that was going to have a meaningful impact on the national landscape, the offensive and defensive front was dominated. Michigan rushed for 259 yards, while Penn State rushed for 59. The offensive line gave up five sacks, while collecting just one on the defensive end.

Coming into the season, there were some question marks on the defensive line, especially at defensive tackle, but the offensive line was expected to take the next step in 2018. The offensive line group has been better, as I noted, mostly in the run game as Penn State is averaging 208 rushing yards per game.

But throughout the year, the offensive line has been shaky in the passing game, which might not necessarily show in the statistics because of quarterback Trace McSorley’s ability to avoid a pass rush. With McSorley hampered last week with a knee injury, you could see what life would be like against a good pass rush if Penn State had a quarterback that was more pocket-oriented.

Most of the questions I’ve gotten this season from readers include, ‘When will Penn State take the next step, or why can’t it take the next step?’ For me, the answer is simple — when the Nittany Lions get consistent offensive and defensive line play. The skill players are there, the athletes are there, the quarterbacks are there, but the consistency in the trenches is not there.

On to this week’s opponent in Wisconsin (noon ET, ESPN), where the Badgers — like the Nittany Lions — are not where they wanted to be after nine games (6-3). Penn State, also sitting at 6-3, will need to be physical in this one with one of the nation’s best running backs in Jonathan Taylor (1,363 rushing yards, 11TDs) coming to Beaver Stadium.

To be honest, this is not the kind of game that Penn State wants to get into after being physically handled last week. Going into the season, this is the game that I picked the Nittany Lions to lose. I didn’t foresee Wisconsin struggling this much coming into the game, so my tune has changed a bit on that, but still this will certainly be a challenge for PSU.

The key in this one for the Nittany Lions will be to make the Badgers one-dimensional. The goal will be to take away the run game (273 rushing yards per game) and put the game in the hands of Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who is questionable. If he can’t play, sophomore Jack Coan will make his second career start. Coan is 25-of-38 for 222 yards with two scores and zero interceptions. Hornibrook has thrown for 1,343 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Wisconsin, as a team, averages 174.2 yards passing per game. If Penn State can slow down Taylor and get the Badgers to third and long, and get a pass rush from the edge, Penn State should be able to control the game.

Offensively, PSU needs to get its running game going again after lackluster performances over the past few weeks. Miles Sanders has averaged just 49 rushing yards per game over his last three. As a team, the Nittany Lions have rushed for just 120 rushing yards per game in their last three contests. Getting the running game going will take some pressure off McSorley, who has been counted on too much this season to provide a bulk of the offensive production.

McSorley, I’m assuming, won’t have his usual mobility to carry Penn State in the running game, so the offensive line and Sanders will need to produce. If McSorley looks shaky from the get-go and looks that way because of his injury, Franklin must pull the trigger early and get back-up quarterback Tommy Stevens into the ball game. McSorley deserves to be the starter and should be the starter the rest of the season if healthy, but if he’s not 100 percent, Stevens has also earned the opportunity to fill in until McSorley is healthy.

Las Vegas has Penn State as a nine-point favorite.

That line right there says it all about the quarterback position for Wisconsin. Pair that with Wisconsin’s inability to stop the run against good running teams and you could see why the line is almost double digits. In the Badgers three losses they’ve given up 231 yards rushing per game. The quarterback hasn’t been very good in those games either, averaging just 149.3 passing yards per contest.

I just simply think Penn State is the better team in this one. One thing I would like to see is a breakout passing performance for McSorley. If he has time and his receivers make plays, it’s possible.

My pick is Penn State 31, Wisconsin 17.