Penn State football’s win over Akron was no surprise. But here are three things we learned from the showdown between the Zips and the Nittany Lions.
The last time Penn State took the football field, they lost in heartbreaking fashion to USC in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. James Franklin’s team came into the 2017 season needing to get off to a hot start immediately. Penn State got just what it needed, asserting its dominance over the Akron Zips in a 52-0 home shutout during the noontime slate on Saturday.
The defending Big Ten champions started slowly, but the No. 6 Nittany Lions built an insurmountable lead against the Zips by halftime. With a 35-0 lead at the intermission, the Nittany Lions had the 30-point spread covered in just two quarters of football. Akron managed just 69 total yards of offense in the first half, and to just 154 for the game.
It is dangerous to read too much into a blowout of a MAC school by a College Football Playoff contender, but the Nittany Lions could be even better than last year’s group. The offense looked dynamic and versatile, the defense looked dominant, and there were some inspired special teams plays.
Before looking ahead to the Pitt game next weekend, let’s take a moment to reflect on a solid start for one of the top teams in the country. Here are three things we learned from Penn State’s big win over the Zips.