Penn State at Michigan prediction

Penn State was humming last year when they clobbered Michigan.  Saquan Barkely is among the all-time greats.  Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead was so good he became a head coach in the SEC (Mississippi State).  DaeSean Hamilton plays for my hometown Denver Broncos.

The game at the time was #2 Penn State vs. #19 Michigan in a Happy Valley Whiteout.  It is not often Michigan gives up over 500 yards and the offense at that the time could not keep up, 42-13.

Now it is Trace McSorley's senior year and he is really good, but he cannot do it by himself.  Penn State's offense is not the same and you can see it in McSorley's statistics.  There is no way he has regressed as a player; similarly, there is no way Penn State will score that many points this year against Michigan's defense.

Odds-wise, 10 points is a lot of points and the Nittany Lions are a good team.  But Michigan is at home, healthy (Rashan Gary and Tarik Black will likely see action), and they are on a different trajectory at this point in the season.

It might not be pretty.  Penn State has paid long enough for the crimes of a few, and it is great to see the team back and the huge following in the flow.  Three and arguably four powers in the Big Ten East makes it well-known to everyone.  Michigan could romp anyway.

Last year was a bit of an anomaly.  Michigan usually does not have that much trouble with Penn State (13-8 all time, 3-1 vs. James Franklin).

Still, Penn State can surprise to the upside as well as disappoint; last year's losses to Michigan State and Ohio State followed the big win over Michigan and knocked them out of both the division and the national picture.  McSorley is dangerous and they have accumulated some excellent recruiting classes lately and players should be emerging.  They definitely have talent and some new names may surface.

Michigan 28 Penn State 14 (at least)


https://www.blackshoediaries.com/2018/11/2/18054604/bsd-roundtable-football-predictions-2018-penn-state-st-psu-nittany-lions-michigan-wolverines

This is interesting.  Yes, it is nice to see them feeling good about their team.  Michigan has very few injuries.  You cannot fault Shea for his first game against Notre Dame; Michigan's patient and successful attack against Michigan State was smart and pushing things would have been playing right into Dantonio's hands for an upset.  So far, with Notre Dame and maybe Northwestern the exceptions, Michigan has not been forced to play a more desperate, come from behind offense.

There is no doubt Penn State "will play Michigan very tough."  I agree, Shea Patterson is better than Nate Stanley.

Finally, I can't believe they still allow these two to be photographed: