Penn State Football: Game-by-game predictions for Nittany Lions in 2022
By Shane Lunnen
In the back half of a home and home series, the Nittany Lions travel south for a regular season game for the first time since 2010 when they faced off with Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Penn State won last year’s matchup with Auburn 28-20 in front of a White Out crowd.
It has been a very strange offseason for second-year coach Bryan Harsin and the Tigers. If Harsin is to survive another year, he will need some marquee victories. On paper Penn State appears to have the edge. But winning at home last year and playing in SEC country are two different beasts. This will be a very close contest but Auburn pulls it off with a last-second field goal.
Prediction: Auburn wins 27-24 (2-1, 1-0)
Another MAC foe visits State College. Central Michigan should provide more of a challenge than Ohio and coming off a tough loss, the Nittany Lions could be a little hungover to start.
Despite the slow start, Penn State takes control in the second half of this one. Sean Clifford throws for four touchdowns, two each to Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, and the Nittany Lions finish September in decent shape.
Prediction: Penn State wins 38-13 (3-1, 1-0)