Penn State vs Purdue prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Thursday, September 1
Penn State vs Purdue How To Watch
Date: Thursday, September 1
Game Time: 8:00 ET
Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Penn State (0-0), Purdue (0-0)
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Penn State vs Purdue Game Preview
Why Penn State Will Win
The defensive back seven should be able to hold up.
Purdue isn’t going to run the ball. Actually, more to the point, it won’t be able to run the ball and won’t give it much of a shot with the passing attack taking over right away – and without 2021 star WR David Bell.
The Penn State secondary has a few stars in corner Joey Porter and safety Ji’Ayir Brown, and Kalen King is a growing playmaker on the other side of Porter. If the pass rush that was just okay last season can rise up and start doing a little more, the Boilermakers won’t take control offensively like it will want to.
On the other side, QB Sean Clifford and the 1-2 receiving punch of Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith should hit the Purdue secondary deep. However …
Why Purdue Will Win
The Purdue defensive front should do more than hold its own against the Penn State offensive line.
The Nittany Lions aren’t bad up front – it was fine, and it helped the depth through the transfer portal – but it still has to prove it can provide a push after a rough year for the ground game and do something in pass protection.
No, Purdue isn’t going to own the trenches defensively, but if Penn State can’t control the clock – time of possession wasn’t a part of the plan last season, but should change up a bit this year – and if it can’t grind a tad bit, that’s a problem.
Penn State doesn’t want to make this about whose passing game is stronger.
The Purdue secondary has the experience and potential all-star parts to make its share of plays and third down stops.
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What’s Going To Happen
Penn State has more talent across the board, and it’s got a far stronger defense overall that should do a lot of bending without a ton of breaking.
Here’s the difference. Purdue will control the tempo and the game with its passing attack, and Penn State will always be chasing.
The idea will be to be more diverse offensively – to go along with the tempo that will try to keep the Boilermakers pedaling backwards – but it has to deal prove it can score enough to keep up in key moments.
Is the Purdue offense going to keep up the momentum from the second half of last season when it ripped through everyone? QB Aidan O’Connell and the passing game will always seem like they’re in control, right up until the moment they’re not.
The Penn State defense will come up with a few big stops late – and Clifford will hit on the one big deep shot – to pull this off. It won’t be a pretty win, but it’s the Big Ten road opener – take it and get out no matter how it looks.
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Penn State vs Purdue Prediction, Line
Penn State 30, Purdue 24
Line: Penn State -3.5, o/u: 54.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
Penn State vs Purdue Must See Rating: 4
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