Penn State Football: 3 bold predictions for November 2019

2. Penn State takes first loss at Minnesota

The Nittany Lions are coming a bye week during the first weekend in November. Unfortunately for them so is their next opponent Minnesota. The Lions are about to take their first loss of the season when they travel to Minneapolis.

Minnesota started off the season with three close victories over lesser opponents. They beat FCS South Dakota State by a touchdown to open the season. The Gophers needed two overtimes to dispose of Fresno State and they followed that up with a three point victory over Georgia Southern. Coincidentally the same Georgia Southern team that knocked off previously unbeaten Appalachian State in Week 10.

Besides a close victory over Purdue, Minnesota has since been killing their competition. The Gophers have outscored their last four opponents by a score of 168-41.

The Gophers have not played anyone with the caliber of Penn State, with their best win being their 40-17 victory over now surprising 5-4 Illinois. But PJ Fleck has his team “Rowing the Boat” and the Gophers are breeding a ton of confidence.

The game against the Nittany Lions will be the biggest game in Minnesota’s history in quite some time. Penn State will get off to a slow start due to the 11 a.m. local kickoff. Minnesota will have to stem off a Penn State comeback but the Gophers pull off the upset by a field goal. With the Gophers ranked in the top 15, the Nittany Lions should not far too far down in the polls with a close loss.