NFL
By: Courtney Walsh
Last week, I expected the Penn State Nittany Lions to blow the doors off of UCLA. Well, that is not what happened in the end we won, but it was ugly for a half, and then our talented roster and coaching took things over. Could we have been peaking ahead of our next opponent? Or was that just me not giving the Bruins enough credit for their effort? You be the judge now we head to California in a battle of two of college football’s most storied programs USC hosts us and is looking for B1G win number 2. Smart move by James Franklin and the coaches leaving on Thursday, so it gives everyone a chance to get their body clocks set by kickoff. Coming in undefeated and wanting to leave that way, along with a nice chip in the ole playoff resume.
This game is the perfect opportunity for Drew Allar to step into the light and become one of the top signal callers in the nation. His numbers have improved over last season, but how much pressure has he REALLY been under this season? Coming into his 18th start, he has ONE game-winning drive I see a close game, and a key pass here or there could be the difference between a win or a loss. I would love to see Drew shut up a lot of people and have a coming-out party versus a solid team. But for that to happen, he will need to have no turnovers and get some help from others. A QB’s best friend, especially on the road, is a good running game. Welcome back, Nicholas Singleton! How much can he play, and will he have an impact, stay tuned for that. A couple of his explosive plays would be welcomed by everyone. And the Trojans defense has been giving up a lot of long runs this season,
The offensive line needs to hold up in pass blocking and open up some holes for the ground game. Don’t let the Minnesota loss fool you the Trojans can play some ball and feed off the home crowd as well. This is why getting the run game going early is important for us to win this one. On the other side of the ball, Miller Moss has been under pressure from the tunnel to the locker room in these last few games. He has been sacked six times in the last three games and under pressure a ton, why not keep that trend going on Saturday? The front four, led by Abdul Carter, along with Zane Durant, need to make life hard for him early and often. Coach Franklin also recognizes this “I don’t know the last time we’ve had a defensive tackle as disruptive as Zane,” said Penn State coach James Franklin. “You’ve got [defensive ends] on either side that could be problematic. Where are you going to pick your poison?” A lot of truth in that statement. With some of the talent the Trojans have on the outside, this will be a test for the secondary and a key will be keeping Zachariah Branch under control along with his partner in crime, Ja’Kobi Lane.
With the College Football Playoff moving to 12 teams, games like this will matter when seeding is being looked at, not to mention the moral boost to the team itself. A mix of good defense, steadying running, and Drew Allar making plays when they come up are the keys to leaving Cali with a win. My prediction is a classic back-and-forth with the Nittany Lions leaving with a 27-24 win and keeping this undefeated season rolling. #WeAre Penn State!
