Penn State Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2020 season

While the potential future of a 2020 Penn State football season could go either way, it is becoming increasingly unlikely the San Jose State Spartans will be both able and ready to make a cross country trip in September for an inevitable beatdown to the Nittany Lions.

If Brent Brennan’s Spartan program does make the trip to Happy Valley, it should be a welcomed opportunity to iron out any kinks before Big Ten play.

Brennan’s third season in San Jose was his most successful at 5-7 and while the Spartans will look to take the next step to a postseason appearance, they will just hope to cover the spread against Penn State. While the offense is breaking in a new game plan and receivers, a final non-conference home game gives defensive coordinator, Brent Pry, a final shot to shake out his roster at linebacker and corner. The Lions are losing defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos but have plenty of talent on the defensive line.

Junior linebacker Micah Parsons can do it all and should be one of the most dynamic defensive players in the country. The All-American linebacker is expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and while there will be plenty of talent at the linebacker group, Parsons will be the Lions most experienced defender.

Top recruit Brandon Smith should be a breakout candidate and should be joined by either Ellis Brooks or Jesse Luketa. Both linebackers were highly recruited and should have no problem breaking into a very talented defense.

Record: 3-0

Late September will mark the transition from non-conference to Big Ten play, and the Nittany Lions will kick off league action with a home game against Pat Fitzgerald‘s tough Northwestern program.

After representing the West in the 2018 Big Ten Championship Game, Northwestern struggled to a 3-9 season last fall. Fitzgerald’s program often overachieves in the Big Ten West despite consistently bringing in a lower recruited caliber program and the Wildcats should be expected to turn things around in 2020.

Northwestern has been a torn in Franklin’s side as the Nittany Lions are 1-2 against the Wildcats since he took over in 2014. Northwestern won 29-6 in their last trip to State College in 2014 but should not expect the same result this fall. Northwestern is looking to turn around their woeful 2019 season with both a new defensive coordinator and quarterback.

New offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian most recently served as the coordinator at Boston College and has had stints at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee. Bajakian’s offense will get a boost with the entry of graduate transfer quarterback Peyton Ramsey. Ramsey, an on again, off again starter at Indiana, brings in-conference experience to Bajakian’s offense and while he has yet to break through in the Big Ten, he brings in stat sheet of over 6,500 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Ramsey is a career 0-3 against Penn State, but tore apart the struggling Penn State secondary in 2019 putting up 371 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and ran for two more. Ramsey will push the Wildcats into a bowl game, but Pry’s defense looks to take another step forward in 2020 and with a more experienced secondary, will look to get past last season’s struggles.

Record: 4-0, 1-0 Big Ten