The start of a new college football season is essentially here for Penn State. The Nittany Lions kick off their 2023 season with a primetime home opener in Beaver Stadium on Saturday night when former regional rival West Virginia comes to town. Penn State and West Virginia appear to be on different playing fields coming into the season with Penn State expected to be on the playoff radar well into the season and West Virginia being picked to finish in last place in the expanded Big 12.
And the stats from last season may be a thing of the past, but they do reveal some potential looks at what to expect to be the storylines for this weekend’s matchup. In short, West Virginia’s defense has a lot to prepare for going up against Penn State’s offense. If these trends carry over from the 2022 season, it could make for a long night for the Mountaineers while Penn State sets the tone for a promising 2023 season.
Below is a look at how the Penn State offense and West Virginia defense fared in a handful of key stats last season. All stats referenced below are credited to CFBStats.com and reflect stats from the 2022 season.