Penn State is a big favorite on the road this weekend at Purdue, and it is easy to see why. Penn State is ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings coming into the weekend, and Purdue has just one win all season. Is this a mismatch too easy to take lightly, or will Penn State go out and smash the Boilermakers to remain on pace for a home playoff game?
You can see our Big Ten picks for this weekend, but we always share our expanded thoughts and final score predictions for the Penn State game in a separate post. So without any further delay, here are our predictions for this weekend’s matchup between the Nittany Lions and Purdue.
Brad: This is a game that Penn State should dominate, and based on the statistical profiles of the two teams, they will. The Nittany Lions are going to get a ton of their young players reps in this one, so it might not be as decisive of a victory as it otherwise would be, but they should still be able to put up points and shut down Purdue with the young guys in.
Penn State 40, Purdue 7
Charlie: Purdue has only scored 7 combined points against Notre Dame, Oregon and Ohio State. Penn State is definitely in that tier and its defense should have a field day. The Nittany Lions need to show they are truly dominant and ready for a playoff run with a big win against the Boilermakers.
Penn State 42, Purdue 7
Kevin: I think last week was a strong indication that this Penn State team is ready to finish the season on a strong note and force their way into a first-round home playoff matchup. The way in which Penn State bounced back from the loss to Ohio State is an encouraging sign, and Purdue is not the opponent that should instill much fear in them on the road this week.
Purdue has been going through a rough season and it;s not about to get any prettier this weekend. Penn State should jump out to a comfortable four-touchdown lead by halftime and put this thing on cruise control in the second half with a running game working the clock.
Penn State 38, Purdue 9
Shayne: Penn State coasted to a 35-6 victory over Washington in its annual White Out game a week ago. Purdue meanwhile continued to struggle, losing 45-0 to Ohio State to fall to 1-8 on the year.
Purdue has been one of the worst FBS teams in the country this year, so Penn State should dominate this game from start to finish. If they don’t look like the far superior team, however, it will be yet another sign that they aren’t fully prepared for a playoff run.
Penn State 42, Purdue 10