Penn State vs. Army West Point Prediction Roundtable
Penn State again finds itself at home, and yet again, the weather is expected to be very wet. The Army Black Knights come to town hoping to pull off the upset victory. Penn State is a huge favorite in the contest after winning three-straight games.
Army will be an interesting team to watch, as the Black Knights employ a run-heavy option offense. Penn State has been fantastic against the run and could make things very difficult on the visitors this Saturday.
The Penn State offense has finally started clicking and quarterback Christian Hackenberg had his best game of the season last week against San Diego State, tossing three touchdown passes.
This week’s game looks like a Nittany Lion win on paper, but we’ll have to wait until it’s settled on the field. Check out the staff’s predictions for this week’s contest.
Lead Editor Barry Leonard Jr.
Unfortunately, the weather for this weekend once again looks pretty bad. For the third game this year the Nittany Lions will likely play in heavy rain. However, the weather forecast doesn’t really change my thoughts on this game with Army West Point.
Penn State has improved on offense and Christian Hackenberg finally looks comfortable. I’d like to see the downfield throws continue, but I don’t expect too much if it’s raining. I expect the run game to continue to impress in this one, even if both Lynch and Barkley are out. Nick Scott and Mark Allen can both handle the rushing attack against a weak Army defense.
As for the Nittany Lions on defense I once again see a dominant performance. Although Army has one of the best rushing attacks in the nation, it’s a very one-dimensional offense, meaning the Nittany Lions will be able to stack the box to shut down the triple option.
With the rainy weather, I think offensive coordinator John Donovan will go back to his conservative gameplay, meaning the score will be lower than some may expect. The score will look closer than it really is, but Penn State wins 24-3.
Staff Writer Nick Lemon
I think there is valid cause for some concern against Army West Point considering playmaker Saquon Barkley may be sidelined, the anticipated sloppy and wet field conditions and the fact that Penn State will be facing a triple-option offense that tends to eat up the clock.
The Nittany Lions’ offense has yet to prove it can consistently score points with Barkley on the bench and unfortunately I expect their struggles to move the football to continue this week. Redshirt freshmen Mark Allen and Nick Scott flashed their athleticism last week, albeit via a touchdown reception and halfback pass, and are in line to get their first real crack at carrying the load out of the backfield against Army.
In what has seemed like a weekly occurrence this rain-soaked season, Christian Hackenberg is going to be forced to air it out in less than ideal conditions to keep the offense moving the chains.
The Nittany Lions’ defense must play disciplined football against Army’s triple option attack and I predict it will be up to the task again this week making big plays and eventually taking over the game. The special teams unit looks to return to early season form and avoid the mistakes that plagued it against SDSU. I look for Nick Scott’s newfound confidence from lining up at running back to carry over to a big game returning kicks.
Penn State defeats Army West Point on Military Appreciation Day with a plodding victory before setting its sights on the Big Ten slate. Penn State wins 27-10.
Staff Writer Shane Lunnen
The game versus Army will be the Nittany Lions’ last chance to fine tune everything before conference play begins in earnest next week. This is another good matchup for Christian Hackenberg to exploit. With the status of both Akeel Lynch and Saquon Barkley unknown, Hackenberg should be allowed to air it out. Perhaps the tight ends should get more involved this week. Look for Hackenberg to get his first 300 yard passing game of the season and to have a few touchdown passes.
In defending Army’s triple option attack, the defense just needs to focus on sticking with its assignments. Penn State’s front seven has been dominant so far and expect it to continue in this game. As the secondary will be playing run support for most of this game, they need to be on their toes for the occasional pass so they don’t get burned for a big play. The special teams unit also needs a bounce back performance this week heading into conference play.
Look for Penn State to put it away early, giving the opportunity for the backups to get significant reps. Penn State wins this one 37-10.
Staff Writer Ryan Lance
The Nittany Lions improved to 3-1 after they defeated San Diego State last weekend 37-21. The Aztec defense was stout against the run as they challenged the Nittany Lions to beat them through the air. The offense responded as Christian Hackenberg had his best game of the season as he was 21 of 35 for 296 yards and three touchdowns.
The Nittany Lion defense was stellar again, however, a week after an outstanding Special Teams performance, the Penn State unit gave up some big plays. Another issue coming out of last weekend for the Nittany Lions is injuries as running backs Akeel Lynch and Saquon Barkley both left the game early.
We aren’t sure if we’ll see the running back duo on the field this Saturday or not but it shouldn’t matter as I expect the Nittany Lion defense to keep the Army triple-option offense in check. Depending on the weather, Hackerberg could be poised for another strong day.
I’ll take the Nittany Lions in this contest 31-10.
Staff Writer Marty Leap
On Saturday Penn State will most likely be without Saquon Barkley, combine this with a bad weather forecast and the offense may struggle more than people are anticipating. However, Army’s pass defense ranks 94th in the FBS and they do not have the athletes capable of covering players such as Chris Godwin and Saeed Blacknall. I look for Christian Hackenberg to have a big game on Saturday.
Army’s triple option offense will not be easy to stop, but I have a lot of faith in Penn State’s rush defense. I look for the Nittany Lion defensive line to just totally dominate and control the line of scrimmage all game long. Discipline and not biting on play fakes will be key for the defense.
Ultimately, I look for Christian Hackenberg and the Nittany Lion defense to be the keys to victory Saturday. I am also going to go out on a limb and say Penn State scores a special teams touchdown on Saturday.
Penn State 31
Army 7