Penn State Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Pitt in Week 3

Penn State football, the No. 13 team in the nation, takes on Pittsburgh in State College on Saturday. What will the Nittany Lions need to do to win?

Penn State is entering the big rivalry game against Pitt as one of the many remaining unbeaten teams, at 2-0. This is the 100th installment of the Penn State-Pittsburgh rivalry. Penn State has won the last two meetings against Pitt, including a 51-6 victory last season. Penn State leads the all-time series 52-43-4.

Last season, Pitt went 7-5 in the regular season and earned a trip to the ACC Championship Game. After losing by 32 to Clemson, Pitt went to the Sun Bowl, and lost by one point to Stanford.

Pittsburgh is 1-1 to start this season, and they have ACC Championship Game aspirations once again.

But here’s what Penn State needs to do in order to win this rivalry matchup.

3. Establish the run game

Penn State has struggled to run the football early in the season. Ricky Slade is the guy who Penn State needs to step up. Through two games, he has eight carries for 17 yards. The former five-star recruit is Penn State’s starting running back, but has been outshined by Journey Brown and Noah Cain. Slade is averaging 2.1 yards per carry, and has a lost fumble. Slade is the featured back with home run potential, but he has to show up on Saturday and prove it. A big game for him will equal a big win for Penn State.

2. Win the battle in the trenches

Penn State struggled early against Buffalo in the trenches. The Nittany Lions are supposed to have a good offensive line and one of the best defensive lines in the country, so that was a bit disheartening to see. Against Pitt, the offensive line needs to create holes to catapult Slade into a good game.

Defensively, the line has held its own, but hasn’t exactly excelled. I expect them to show their dominance against Pitt. The defensive line needs to contain the run game and get decent pressure on the quarterback.

1. Force Kenny Pickett to throw the ball

Kenny Pickett isn’t a bad quarterback, but he lacks consistency when it comes to throwing the ball. He often tries to escape by using his legs, and he can use that for big gains. Pickett is leading the team in rushing attempts with 12, albeit only for 16 yards through two games this season.

When Virginia beat Pitt in Week 1, they took away potential running lanes for Pickett and forced him to throw the football on a consistent basis. So far this season, he has only completed 51 percent of his passes, for one touchdown and two interceptions. The Penn State secondary could have a monster day if the front seven contains Pickett’s legs and forces him to air it out.