Penn State and Michigan meet Saturday with something neither side wanted this deep into the season: the hunt for a first Big Ten win.
What started back in August as a ranked showdown between rivals has turned into a different kind of measuring stick. Penn State opened 3-0 and climbed as high as No. 13, while Michigan rose as high as No.
- Now both teams are trying to stop the conference slide, and both first-year head coaches are under pressure to show that what worked in the Big 12 can translate to the Big Ten.
Michigan arrives with one thing Penn State doesn’t have: a signature nonconference win. The Wolverines beat Oklahoma, and that Sooners team just last week knocked off No.
1 Texas. They’ve also been far stingier defensively, not allowing more than 20 points in any game this season.
Penn State, meanwhile, managed 23 points in last week’s loss to USC.
That sets up the 28th meeting between the rivals as a game that figures to be tight, physical and low-scoring.
Penn State’s linebacker group is one place to watch closely. Matt Campbell voiced concern about the depth there earlier this week, and that issue got worse when Alex Tatsch was ruled out for the year. Tony Rojas has been Penn State’s top linebacker, but he can’t shoulder every snap, which puts added pressure on the players behind him.
The Nittany Lions’ defensive front is another area under the microscope. Penn State’s tackles and ends have been beaten the last two weeks, the team has struggled to generate push in the run game, and it has only eight sacks this season. On the other side, Michigan comes in after a bye week and should have a clear edge at the line of scrimmage.
There’s also a chance Penn State’s offense takes a step back from last week. The Lions played well enough against USC, and Rocco Becht kept them in the game even while the run game again failed to get going. But Michigan’s defense has been one of the Big Ten’s best by the numbers, and that could make life difficult.
Joe Hermitt sees the most pressure falling on Penn State’s defensive front and on coordinator D’Anton Lynn to adjust after two rough conference outings. Against Northwestern, Penn State couldn’t stop the run.
Against USC, there was no real pass rush. Tackling was a problem in both games.
Michigan, as Hermitt noted, wants to run the ball right at you, and that makes the matchup in the trenches even more important. He also pointed to Bryce Underwood as a player who could do damage with his legs if Penn State can’t corral him.
Bob Flounders sees an ugly one too, and he’s watching Penn State’s defensive linemen after they were outplayed in each of the last two weeks. He also noted that Michigan has turned the ball over nine times, which leaves open the possibility that Penn State’s secondary could create a touchdown and swing the game.
Still, the panel leans toward Michigan.
Michigan 20, Penn State 14
Michigan 23, Penn State 16
Michigan 23, Penn State 13
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Have A Real Matt Campbell Debate Now
The debate over Penn States latest coaching decision has quickly turned into a familiar kind of what-if conversation, with Matt Campbell now installed as the programs head football coach and set to be there for years to come. In hindsight, some around the fan base are still looking at the other names that were in the mix, especially Bob Chesney and Terry Smith, and wondering whether the Nittany Lions passed on a different path they might have felt better about.
Chesney has already gotten off to a strong start at UCLA, while Smith had the benefit of familiarity after serving as Penn States interim coach last year. That experience is part of what has fueled the second-guessing, since Smith might have had a better chance to keep more players and recruits from leaving after the previous coachs departure. For now, though, the program has made its choice, and the discussion has shifted from who should have been hired to what Campbell can do with it. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Brings A New Concern Into Penn State Week
Michigan is walking into Week 7 with a battered offensive line, and that is the kind of development Penn State will notice immediately. Six linemen are listed as out, questionable or probable, including four starters, which adds a layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already figures to hinge on how well the line can hold up against pressure.
The Wolverines do have real strength on the edge, where Tariq Boney and Nate Marshall have been performing well, but even there the picture is not fully settled with John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols still uncertain. For Penn State, the bigger takeaway is simple: the front-line health of Michigan's offense now looks like one of the week's most important storylines. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kraft Still Faces Pressure As Penn State Seeks Answers Under Campbell
Matt Campbell is only six games into his Penn State tenure, but the questions around the program have hardly eased. The Nittany Lions sit at 3-3, and the reset that came after Pat Kraft fired James Franklin following three straight losses has already given way to a different kind of scrutiny as Campbell tries to steady things in his first year on the job.
Kraft was the one who made the bold move to start over, then completed the coaching search that brought Campbell to Happy Valley. Campbell has already acknowledged Krafts willingness to support him, and with Michigan next on the schedule, the urgency around the pairing feels obvious. The athletic directors decision is still being judged, and the early returns under Campbell have only sharpened the focus on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]