Penn State at Michigan State: Prediction roundtable

Corey Hunter, Contributor

To say I am still disappointed in the results from last week would be an understatement. I think I have and am still going through the stages of grief.

I am buoyed, however, by the fact that we still have the best player in football, and there is still a tremendous number of games to be played that will assuredly later the playoff landscape before we are through.

This week the Lions need to get back in the saddle as they face Michigan State, their only remaining team ranked in the top-25. A convincing win in a hostile environment could go a long way to bolster the Nittany Lions playoff resume.

Michigan State has one of the top defenses in the Big Ten. In fact their rush defense is so stingy that it allows a Big Ten-least 89.8 yds per game. Not only that, their pass defense only yields 193.6 yards per game. Moving the ball against their vaunted defense will be a challenge, but this isn’t new territory for the Lions. They went up against pretty good Michigan defense and handily defeated them.

To me, both teams are good, but Penn State has more superior athletes on both sides of the ball. This game comes down to desire. Which team can put last week’s disappointment in the rear view mirror faster. The players l-only meeting this week helped solidify the goals that this Nittany Lions program has going forward, namely a Big Ten title and a chance at the national title. Both took a big hit last week, but they aren’t gone yet.

Don’t be surprised if Penn State comes out of the gate like they did last week and puts up a few early scores. I think the Lions want to make a statement, and they will do just that, with an impressive win in East Lansing.

Penn State – 38
Michigan State – 17