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

1. Penn State football pulls the upset in the Big House

The Nittany Lions have an excellent opportunity to go to Ann Arbor and get the win. The Wolverines’ offensive staff has limited J.J. McCarthy’s running –which is a strength of his game– because Cade McNamara is injured. In addition to Michigan’s lack of quarterback depth, Michigan will be without its second-leading rusher and one of their better tackling tight ends.

Enough cannot be said about Penn State’s newfound physicality. Penn State’s offensive line has an opportunity to establish the line of scrimmage and move Michigan’s front. The Nittany Lions want to force Michigan from a two-high safety look and force an extra defender in the box. Sean Clifford is not the most accurate quarterback, but he does well against man coverage.

Defensively, Penn State has one of the most formidable fronts in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions’ secondary also matches up well against Michigan’s receivers.

The Wolverines do not have a vertical threat to take the top off the defense and open things up for other receivers. What is going to be interesting is if Michigan’s running game can force Penn State to put another defender in the box.