5 things to know this week: Penn State’s big game at Michigan
Penn State football is about to play its biggest game of the season when they head to Michigan after having a bye week last weekend. The road trip to Michigan is Penn State’s biggest challenge of the year so far and sets the stage for what could be a monster three-game stretch for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State’s history against Michigan isn’t exactly the most favorable as the Wolverines are one of the only schools in the Big Ten to hold an all-time advantage against the Nittany Lions. But Penn State has scored some notable and memorable victories in the series over the years, and a win this weekend would be quite a statement win for the program and head coach James Franklin.
Here are five quick things to know this week leading up to Penn State’s big road matchup at Michigan.
Penn State plays underdog
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For the first time this season, Penn State will take on the role of underdog. Michigan is favored by a touchdown according to the opening lines from BetMGM, but that should suit this Penn State team just fine. As a program looking to win back respectability one game at a time, it is time to see how the Nittnay Lions perform as the underdog.
Penn State is 2-0 on the road
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Penn State has come up big on the road twice so far this season, which should build some confidence in this team as they head up to Ann Arbor at the end of the week. Penn State opened the season with a Thursday night win at Purdue. And a couple of weeks later, Penn State demolished Auburn on the road down south.
Big Ten in the rankings
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
The national rankings were updated on Sunday, and Penn State remains just one of three teams from the Big Ten appearing in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State are the only Big Ten representatives in the rankings once again this week, but all three appear in the top 10.
The quality depth of the Big Ten is fair to question at this point, but it is looking more and more as though the top three teams are in the Big Ten East. Penn State is hoping to prove it belongs in that conversation beginning this week at Michigan.
Good Big Ten weather this weekend?
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Predicting the weather is a science I do not totally understand, but it does look as though we could be getting some good Big Ten weather this weekend up in Ann Arbor. The latest outlook is calling for partly cloudy and 60 degrees. So unlike Penn State’s last game against Northwestern, it looks as though weather really won’t be an excuse for any sloppy play.
Rutgers makes offensive coordinator change
Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Penn State has a few more weeks before it sees Rutgers on the schedule, but the Scarlet Knights did just change things up with its staff after their latest setback. Rutgers removed Sean Gleeson as offensive coordinator and Greg Schiano named tight end coach Nunzio Campanile as the team’s interim offensive coordinator. Whether that translates to anything to worry about down the road remains to be seen.
