Predictions: Will Penn State Beat USC?

Penn State has a big football game against USC in the Coliseum Saturday, and predictions are rolling in.

Vegas likes Penn State’s chances, which is why PSU is favored by a little less than a touchdown on the road.

USC doesn’t have momentum on its side right now. The team is coming off a brutal upset loss at Minnesota which knocked it from the brink of the top 10 to out of the top 25.

Penn State, on the other hand, is 5-0 and ranked No. 4. With No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon playing each other Saturday night, a win gets Penn State into the top three at least. Here is what the Nittany Sports Now crew sees happening Saturday. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 on CBS.

MIKE ASTI, WV SPORTS NOW/YARDBARKER:

This week’s matchup with USC marks the first of what most expect to be two big obstacles for Penn State this season. Although  Ohio State will surely be a challenge, it’s possible this upcoming matchup with USC isn’t what it was once supposed to be.

While Penn State has been hitting its stride lately, USC has lost two of its last three games, losing at Michigan Sept. 21 before falling to Minnesota.

USC’s defense has continued to be a perpetual concern this season, but its offense has been inconsistent as well. It’s possible that Miller Moss can air it out and the long road trip proves to be a disadvantage for the Nittany Lions, but this Penn State team feels a bit different from the others from recent seasons.

With two Big Ten losses already, USC will be playing desperate. However, I expect Penn State to eventually be too much. I do think it’ll be close, but Penn State claims a major win on the road.

Penn State 30, USC 26

ANDY STINE, ALTOONA MIRROR/NITTANY SPORTS NOW

On paper, I think Penn State is the better team. But the flight across the country is taking its toll on a lot of visiting teams so far, and that can’t be overlooked.

USC 28, Penn State 21

JARROD PRUGAR, NITTANY SPORTS NOW

The matchup to watch is Penn State’s front vs. USC’s o-line. If the Nittany Lions can be dominant it should be a great chance to leave Hollywood with a victory.

Penn State 34, USC 14

JOE SMELTZER, NITTANY SPORTS NOW

What are the main reasons USC has a chance in this game? USC is at home playing against a team that has to travel across the country. USC also needs this game to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive, and a desperate team could be a dangerous one.

But as far as matchups go, where does USC have a big edge over Penn State? Does USC have better receivers? Probably. Five of USC’s receivers have above 100 yards and three are above 200, compared to two and three for Penn State, respectively. But USC’s receivers aren’t playing Penn State’s receivers, they’re playing Penn State’s defense.

That defense has the potential to feast on Moss,  who has been sacked six times over his last three games and fumbled twice on 46 pressures. Moss also has the third-quickest release time in the Big Ten, and Bowling Green’s Connor Bazelak used that to exploit the Penn State defense in Week 2. Bowling Green scored 24 points against Penn State in the first half and didn’t punt until the third quarter. But Penn State’s defense has been much better since then, and I expect Tom Allen’s defense to pick off Moss at least twice.

Offensively, the plan should be much more straight forward: use Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen to run the ball down USC’s throat, which I detailed earlier this week.

If Penn State can run the ball and force turnovers, it will beat USC. I think both of those things will happen.

These are our predictions for Penn State-USC. Let’s hear yours.