Penn State Football vs. Pittsburgh: Preview, predictions, live stream
The ACC and Big Ten square off once again in what should be an interesting game. Can Penn State football move to 2-0? How to watch and more, here.
Before their run to the Big Ten title game last year, the fourth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions hit some bumps in the road. The Pittsburgh Panthers were one of those bumps as they pulled out a 42-39 victory last season over Penn State in a shootout.
The Penn State Nittany Lions return much of the team that suffered that defeat. They had four turnovers in the game (three fumbles, one interception) on offense. On defense, they allowed 343 rushing yards, three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns.
It wasn’t the greatest of games for the Nittany Lions’ defense but this season should tell a different story. On the bright side, running back Saquon Barkley had five total touchdowns in last year’s game. He should be fun to watch this week.
Things look a bit different for the Pittsburgh Panthers this season. Their defense is relatively new and it showed in Week 1. It took overtime for them to put the Youngstown State Penguins away, 28-21. The Penguins proved to be a tough opponent, despite their FCS-status.
Pitt squandered a 21-0 lead and gave up 14 points in the fourth quarter on defense to let Youngstown State tie it in regulation. This week, the Panthers need to be prepared or it could be a long day for them.
Here’s how you can watch the Penn State vs. Pittsburgh game:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: University Park, PA
Venue: Beaver Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Keys to victory
The Penn State Nittany Lions should feed running back Saquon Barkley a good amount this week. Quarterback Trace McSorley will also continue to develop his connection with Mike Gisecki and Juwan Johnson in the passing game.
The Pittsburgh Panthers, on the other hand, will need their secondary to play better or McSorley could have a big day. The Panthers offense didn’t look terrible but quarterback Max Browne wasn’t overly impressive, either. A good game from him will definitely help Pitt’s cause.
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Prediction
The Penn State Nittany Lions should pull out a victory with relative ease here. The Panthers are still without their star safety Jordan Whitehead and it hurt them Week One. This week, it should bury their chances at an upset victory over the Nittany Lions.
Final Score: Penn State 27 – Pittsburgh 14