Penn State football: 3 bold predictions vs. Northwestern in Week 5

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Sep 9, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Delaware 63-7. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Penn State will rush for 300 yards vs. Northwestern

Penn State’s ground attack has been solid this season, but it hasn’t quite hit the heights some have been expecting based off last year’s success. Star sophomore running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have been effective and consistently keep Penn State on schedule with positive gains, but neither has had the signature game or broken the 60-plus-yard highlight run that each player showed the propensity for in 2022.

In this Saturday’s game, that changes. Both players will rip off lengthy touchdown runs that will break the Northwestern defense, and get heavy volume to the tune of 300-plus total rushing yards for Penn State.

In this sense, Northwestern could not match up worse. The Wildcats defense sits well outside the top 100 run defenses in the country, allowing 184.5 rush yards a game and nine rushing touchdowns so far this year. Northwestern isn’t particularly big on the defensive front seven, and has struggled to make tackles in space this year.

Penn State has the athletes, between its running backs and deep group of tight ends to do some serious damage in this game, a 40-plus point day is very much in the cards for Penn State.

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