Penn State Football: 3 Bold Predictions for Nittany Lions v. Wolverines

2. Penn State football wins in the trenches

Offensively, the Nittany Lions have been one of the better running teams in college football. Their most impressive rushing performance was against Auburn. The Tigers are a disaster, but they were supposed to be solid along its defensive line, and Penn State football pushed Auburn. Running back Nicholas Singleton averaged over 10 yards per rush attempt.

Penn State running backs consistently got to the second level against Auburn; expect the Nittany Lions’ runners to do the same against Michigan. Penn State’s offensive line is as good as its ever been during James Franklin’s tenure in College Park.

Not only is Penn State’s offensive line solid, but their defensive line has also been solid all season. The Nittany Lions are one of the country’s best rushing defenses, allowing 79.6 yards on the ground, which ranks fifth in the nation.

Blake Corum is fourth in the nation in rush yards but will find it difficult to run against Penn State’s front seven. Conversely, Michigan’s front seven has a tall test against arguably the most improved offensive line in the country. Freshman nose tackle Mason Graham is a load for the Wolverines, but he won’t be enough to thwart the Nittany Lions rushing attack.