Penn State at Rutgers: Prediction Roundtable

Can Penn State leave Rutgers with another big win?

Penn State bounced back at home last week with a 22-10 win over Wisconsin. The run game, led by Miles Sanders, was strong, and the defense shut down any semblance of a passing game the Badgers had. It was an important victory for the Nittany Lions, as they now have a real chance to finish the regular season with a respectable 9-3 record.

On tap this week is a trip to Piscataway to take on lowly Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have just one win on the year, and have proven to be an easy task for nearly every opponent.

The Nittany Lions can’t exactly overlook the Scarlet Knights, especially since road games can always be tricky. However, on paper, this one looks like a total runaway. The Nittany Lions shouldn’t have much trouble escaping New Jersey with a victory.

Rutgers was blown out by Michigan at home last week and is allowing over 34 points per game. Meanwhile, the Rutgers offense has struggled to score an average of even 14 points per contest.

This week should represent an opportunity for the Penn State offense to put up some points while still giving some of its starters some extra rest. The biggest question mark heading into the contest for the Nittany Lions is the health of quarterback Trace McSorley.

The senior injured himself against Iowa a few weeks back and hasn’t looked 100 percent healthy since. If the Nittany Lions can build a big lead early, McSorley should be able to hand the reigns over to backup Tommy Stevens and get some extra rest.

Penn State has dominated the all-time series with Rutgers, winning 26 of the 28 matchups. The Scarlet Knights haven’t beaten the Nittany Lions since 1988 and have never beaten them in New Jersey.

Most people will expect Penn State to win this week. See if the VBR staff feels the same way.