Penn State at Northwestern Prediction Roundtable

Penn State enters this week with a chance to defeat a ranked opponent for the first time since head coach James Franklin took over last season. The Northwestern Wildcats, despite losing two games, should still be considered among the top teams in the Big Ten.

The Nittany Lions dominated Illinois at home last week and actually looked good doing it. The offense was clicking, especially quarterback Christian Hackenberg. The defense, playing against a traditional pro-style quarterback in Wes Lunt, was able to completely dominate the game.

Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, this week’s opponent has a running quarterback, something that the Penn State defense has had difficulty in stopping this season.

Northwestern is a home favorite and could be a popular pick this year. However, anything can happen once they step out on the field. Read on to find out what the VBR staff thinks will happen this week.

Lead Editor Barry Leonard Jr. 

The fan in me wants to go ahead and call this one a win for Penn State. However, the un-biased writer in me says that the Nittany Lions are up for a tough test on Saturday. Northwestern is no longer unbeaten, but the Wildcats are still a very dangerous team.

The scariest thing about the matchup for the Nittany Lions is Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson. Penn State has really struggled against running quarterbacks this season, and that trend could continue on Saturday. Luckily, Thorson has struggled to throw the ball, so Penn State could theoretically stack the box and try to shut down the run. The defensive line needs to have a big day.

Christian Hackenberg will be challenged this week by the tough Northwestern defense, but I think that he will continue his hot streak. The offensive line could struggle, but Hackenberg has shown some mobility the last few weeks and the wide receivers have really stepped up.

Saquon Barkley could find it tough sledding on Saturday but he always seems to have one or tow highlight-reel plays in him.

It might not be pretty, and I fully expect Penn State to start slow with the early start time. The Nittany Lions will be trailing at halftime but will ultimately pull out the 17-10 win.

Staff Writer Marty Leap

When Penn State travels to Evanston on Saturday they will be facing a very good Northwestern team. The Wildcats are ranked No. 21 in the country for a reason, and, in my opinion, they are the second best-team the Nittany Lions have played thus far this season behind Ohio State. While the Wildcats have struggled this year on offense, they have a very formidable defense.

Northwestern ranks 6th nationally in passing defense, 17th in total defense, and 19th in scoring defense. So it goes without saying that the Nittany Lion offense, especially Christian Hackenberg and the passing offense, may struggle on Saturday. One positive though is that the Wildcats have just 16 sacks on the season, so it is not unreasonable to expect the offensive line to give Hack some time to throw the ball and that is never good for an opposing defense. The Wildcats are allowing nearly 150 rushing yards per game however, so in order for Penn State’s offense to be successful on Saturday I believe Saquon Barkely and the rushing games must get going.

The biggest challenge for Penn State on Saturday could be defending redshirt freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson. On the season Thorson has completed just 52.7 percent of his passes and has just one more touchdown (6) than interceptions (5), but he is a threat to run the ball. Thorson is averaging 4.9 yards per rush this season, and as we saw against Ohio State and Maryland, mobile quarterbacks have really burned Penn State this season. Penn State must do a better job of containing Thorson than they did Maryland quarterback Perry Hills on the ground. This is because, unlike Maryland, Northwestern has a very good defense that you can not keep giving a lead to the way Penn State did Maryland.

I would love to be wrong here, but I believe Coach Franklin will have to wait until another day to get his first win at Penn State against a ranked team. Honestly, I believe Penn State matches up better with both Michigan and Michigan State due to the fact that, unlike Northwestern, they do not have an offense that features a mobile quarterback. I see the Nittany Lions falling to 7-3 on Saturday.

Northwestern 20

Penn State 17

Staff Writer Nick Lemon

Penn State looks to carry its momentum from last week’s dominating performance into Ryan Field and defeat a Northwestern team ranked 21st in the College Football Playoff Rankings. With the recent resurgence of the Nittany Lions’ offense they are looking to solidify their position as a dangerous Big Ten team hitting its stride at the perfect time.

Both teams are anchored by their Top 20 defenses and the difference in the game will likely come down to which offense is able to execute and protect the football. The Nittany Lions enter the game with confidence after back-to-back 30-plus point performances. I predict Penn State’s offense maintains momentum and its talented weapons continue to produce. Hackenberg takes what Northwestern’s defense gives him and is effective in the short to mid-range passing game while continuing to spread the football around to playmakers. Barkley gets the 100-yard game that has eluded him in past weeks as he runs wild outside of the tackles and continues to become more involved as a receiver.

Penn State’s defense will be facing another mobile quarterback, which is a concern; however, Northwestern’s offense has struggled in the passing game. I predict the Lions are able to limit the Wildcats’ rushing attack, leaving them struggling to move the football. Northwestern coach, Pat Fitzgerald’s “nightmare” of facing Penn State’s defensive line becomes a reality on Saturday as they build on their FBS-leading sack total.

Penn State takes care of business on the road, 24-13.

Staff Writer Shan Lunnen

Penn State is seeking its first true road win this weekend versus Northwestern and they come into the game with a lot of momentum after dismantling Illinois last week. The Wildcats present a real challenge to the Nittany Lions’ offense, as they are giving up less than 18 points per game. Like almost every week, the offensive line will have to work hard to keep Christian Hackenberg upright and give him time to find his receivers.  Of course Saquon Barkley will also get his share of carries in this one.  For a second week in a row, I will say that James Franklin and John Donovan really need to get Akeel Lynch the ball.  Barkley can’t do it all and Lynch is plenty talented enough. Unless Lynch is hurt, give him some carries as a change of pace.

For the Penn State defense, the key will be containing the talented Northwestern quarterback, Clayton Thorson.  With only an average arm, Thorson does most of his damage with his legs.  Penn State has struggled with mobile quarterbacks this year, and while Thorson is no J.T. Barrett, he still has the ability to burn defenses for big chunks of yardage. If Penn State can limit the yardage for both Thorson and running back Justin Jackson, they will have a good chance in this one.

I believe this will play out as a battle of defenses and be low scoring. It doesn’t help Penn State that this game will kick off at 11AM central time, so I expect a slow start. Before the season, I had this one down as a loss but now with Penn State trending up and Northwestern trending down, I think they can pull out a victory and improve their chances of a January bowl game.

Penn State wins 20-14.