Penn State vs. West Virginia: Breaking down the matchups
Sep. 1—When Penn State has the ball
Offensive line vs. Defensive line
There's no question LT Olu Fashanu and company are considered the strength of the Nittany Lions offense. But there are some questions, with former Lackawanna College standout J.B. Nelson making his first start at left guard and Hunter Nourzad getting his first action at center. They'll be facing a somewhat underrated West Virginia front. NT Mike Lockhart is a big body in the middle, and DE Sean Martin had 8 TFLs last season for a team that finished fourth in the Big 12 against the run. EDGE: Penn State
Quarterbacks/Receivers vs. Secondary
For Penn State, this is where there's the most untapped potential to be explosive, and the most question marks. They might not be exposed in this matchup, unless West Virginia improves vastly on a unit that ranked 111th against the pass a season ago. Safety Aubrey Burks is versatile and moves around the field, so the Nittany Lions will have to monitor him closely. However, there should be plenty of opportunities for QB Drew Allar to succeed in his first start. Look for a big game from a confident WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith. EDGE: Penn State
Running backs vs. Linebackers
West Virginia's best defensive player might be senior MLB Lee Kpogba, who led the defense in tackles and quarterback hurries. He'll need to have a major impact if the Mountaineers are going to slow a Penn State running game that can be explosive. Nick Singleton broke just about every meaningful rushing record for freshmen last season, and Kaytron Allen churned out more than 800 yards. They combined to average 6 ypc last season and scored 22 touchdowns. And they'll be better. EDGE: Penn State
When West Virginia has the ball
KEY TO THE GAME
Offensive line vs. Defensive line
If they want to be in position to pull the upset, the Mountaineers are going to have to stay close. To stay close, they're going to have to run the ball effectively. To do that, they're going to have to win their share of battles up front.
Penn State's defense is potentially explosive off the edge with ends Chop Robinson and Adisa Issac, but they don't have a star in middle...yet. Tackles like Coziah Izzard, Dvon Ellies and Hakeem Beamon are battle-tested, but they haven't been consistently dynamic.
West Virginia returns all five starters up front, and their experience could be a concern for Penn State up the middle. Senior RT Doug Nester and center Zach Frazier are among the better linemen in the Big 12, and West Virginia's expected offensive linemen combined have 111 career starts. That makes them the second-most experienced unit in the nation.
The Nittany Lions are going to have to put together a big game early to keep West Virginia from building some upset momentum. EDGE: Penn State
Quarterbacks/Receivers vs. Secondary
West Virginia head coach Neal Brown hasn't named a starting quarterback. Somewhat ironically, James Franklin said Penn State is assuming it will be junior Garrett Greene, who threw for 493 yards and five touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 119 yards in a win over Oklahoma. The Mountaineers have a new receivers that were PSU targets — transfer portal add Devin Carter and recruit Rodney Gallagher — who could cause issues. But corners Kalen King and Johnny Dixon might be the best duo in the Big Ten. EDGE: Penn State
Running backs vs. Linebackers
West Virginia's 238-pound tailback CJ Donaldson averaged 6 ypc last season and enters 2023 as the starter. However, the strength of West Virginia's rushing attack is in its depth. Sophomore Jaylen Anderson and junior Justin Johnson Jr. combined for more than 700 yards last season, with Anderson averaging nearly 8 ypc. PSU's linebacking depth is its best in years, though. With Curtis Jacobs back to his natural position outside the box, look for him to be even more of a factor against the run. EDGE: Penn State
Special teams
Kicking game
Penn State had to replace all of its specialists after last season, and there's especially concern at kicker. Sophomore Sander Sahaydak will have to show more consistency to keep the job away from walk-on transfer Alex Felkins, and it's fair to expect a drop from Jake Pinegar. Meanwhile, punter Oliver Straw is one of the best in the Big 12 for West Virginia, but new kicker Danny King is going to be a question mark. EDGE: West Virginia.
Return game
The punt return job was up for grabs most of camp for Penn State, and Daequan Hardy seems a good bet to get the first shot. But with Singleton and Allen likely returning kicks, the Lions will have a home-run hitter in at least one aspect of the return game. Kent State transfer Ja'Shaun Poke was an all-MAC return man last year, and he'll give West Virginia a stronger threat there than they showed last season, too. EDGE: Penn State
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@DonnieCollinsTT;
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