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Penn State Football 2021 game-by-game predictions

By Alec Whitaker

Jul 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin speaks to the media during Big 10 media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 22, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin speaks to the media during Big 10 media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Can James Franklin guide Penn State Football to a bounce back season in 2021, or will the Nittany Lions wilt under a brutal first month of the season? 

Penn State Football will open their 2021 season a week from today, when the Nittany Lions head to Camp Randall for a heavy weight showdown with the Wisconsin Badgers.

While there is plenty of uncertainty with this team, and how well they will preform this season,  there are many reasons to believe that this team will be far better than their 4-5 record in 2020.

What makes this season so intriguing, is that you can make an argument for Penn State Football finishing 11-1, but you can just as easily make an argument for a 7-5 season.

We will get a good idea of how good this team is very quickly, with their first three games being against teams ranked in the top 37 in the AP preseason poll.

With that said, here are our Penn State Football game-by-game predictions for this upcoming season:

Week 1: Penn State Football @Wisconsin

This is the hardest opening matchup for Penn State Football we’ve seen in quite some time.

A road, conference matchup, with a team projected to have a top ten defense in the nation is not an easy task. It’s even harder when it’s the first game of playing in a new offense.

Penn State Football is hopeful that new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich will take them back to the offensive dominance of 2016 and 2017, but as we saw in 2016, it can take time to settle in and get to that point.

Unlike in years past, Wisconsin does not have a stud running back in the backfield, instead they will likely go with a committee, highlighted by sophomore Jalen Berger, who averaged five yards a carry in 2020. Wisconsin’s offensive line may also be weaker than were accustomed to, but it still ranks towards the top of the Big Ten conference.

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz is looking to take a step forward after a solid first season as the starter in Madison. He has quality weapons around him led by receiver Danny Davis and tight end Jake Ferguson.

Penn State Football may be the more talented team, but with this being the first game of the new offense on the road against an elite defense, logic slightly favors the Badgers. This game will likely come down to the wire.

Wisconsin 24, Penn State Football 21

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