Nebraska at Penn State Preview & Prediction (CollegeFootballNews.com)

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https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/nebraska-vs-penn-state-prediction-preview-2025

Nebraska vs. Penn State Prediction: Can the Nittany Lions Get One Big Win?
by Pete Fiutak, CollegeFootballNews.com
It always matters to beat Penn State.

Nebraska got by UCLA, and it hasn't been bad, but it's 2-2 in its last four games and has to win this and beat Cockeye to get a decent bowl game.

It's bowl eligible, and Penn State is trying to get there.

Beating Michigan State last week was okay, getting by Rutgers next week is a must, and if the Nittany Lions want to get to a bowl game, they have to win this in the home finale, or it'll be a losing season.

As bad as this season has been, win the last two games, and closing out on a three-game winning streak would be terrific.

Nebraska at Penn State
Saturday, November 22 - 7:00 PM (ET) - NBC

Why Nebraska Will Win
The Emmett Johnson show needs to continue.

The Husker back has carried the offense over the last several weeks, running for 120 yards or more in four of the last five games, and two weeks ago also caught three passes for over 100 yards and two scores in the win over UCLA.

Johnson's running is taking all the pressure off quarterback TJ Lateef, who stepped in for an injured Dylan Raiola and hit 87% of his throws for over 200 yards and three scores.

The Penn State defense is fine, but the team is 0-5 against teams able to get to at least 300 yards of total offense, but .......

Why Penn State Will Win
........Keeping the offense going isn't a given with Nebraska.

It was solid against a struggling UCLA team trying to get through the rest of the slate, but here comes the Penn State pass rush.

Nebraska's offensive line has struggled in pass protection, and the Nittany Lion defensive front that keeps on pushing -- Dani Dennis-Sutton and company wore the Michigan State offensive line as a hat -- should be able to hold up.

The Penn State secondary and pass defense won't give up much to Lateef, and .......

What Will Happen
.....Can Penn State really come up with a big performance against a bowl bound team?

The offense was able to rumble on the struggling Michigan State defense, and it'll run for close to five yards per carry against the Huskers to control the tempo throughout.

But the final home game of the season will be about the defense that clamps down on Johnson to get one step away from a bowl game.

Prediction
Penn State 24, Nebraska 20

Spread
Penn State is favored at home by 9.5 points

 

[Alum-Ni]

Other Big Ten games

ILLINOIS (-7.5) at WISCONSIN
No, Wisconsin isn’t any good, but it’s making teams work. Indiana won in a blowout, but it was a bit of a grind. It was raining in Eugene, and Oregon had a hard time getting rolling. Illinois hasn’t been efficient enough to breathe too easily, but the defense has been outstanding over the last two games. It’ll keep the Badger O down without a problem, in a low scoring win. Illinois 23, Wisconsin 7

MICHIGAN (-13.5) at MARYLAND
The Michigan running game will have some fun. It's been good all year, but it took things up a few notches over the last few weeks. The team is 7-0 when running for multiple scores. Maryland has only allowed more than one rushing touchdown once - giving up four against Indiana - but the D is getting ripped apart on the ground. The Wolverines will run for at least two touchdowns. And then it's time to go to work. Michigan 30, Maryland 17

MICHIGAN STATE at Cockeye (-16.5)
Cockeye will run for well over 100 yards. It's not going to mess around. It'll get running, start running, and it'll control the game throughout with at least 40 carries and no chances taken down the field. Michigan State will come up with a good early scoring drive, but it'll stall way too often. It's Cockeye's final home game of the year, and it'll come up with a sharp overall performance. Cockeye 30, Michigan State 13

MINNESOTA at NORTHWESTERN (-3.5)
Minnesota has a bigger problem with sharp passing teams than good running teams, and lately, Northwestern isn't completing enough midrange throws. This will be ugly at times, and be shocked if it's any sort of a firefight. Northwestern will come through in the final moments of a tight defensive battle. Northwestern 20, Minnesota 17

RUTGERS at OHIO STATE (-31.5)
An 80% completion rate might be low against the Scarlet Knight secondary, at least for this passing game. 2011 was the last time Ohio State lost the game before the Michigan showdown, and that was the transition season to the Urban Meyer era. It's going to come out roaring, looking to set the tone going into the week the program has been waiting all year for. Ohio State 44, Rutgers 10

USC at OREGON (-9.5)
Oregon's best win this year was against ... Cockeye. USC took down Michigan in a strong all-around performance, and it did win at Nebraska and Purdue, even though it was a struggle on the road. Autzen Stadium will be crazy, Oregon's defense will come out roaring from the start, and ... This will be the win from Lincoln Riley that USC fans have been waiting for. The balance of the USC attack will be effective enough to get control of the game early, and the pass rush will bother Moore from the start. It'll be a brilliant back-and-forth battle that will come down to the final defensive stop. USC 31, Oregon 28

WASHINGTON (-10.5) at UCLA
There’s a problem if Washington can get up fast. That’s been an issue, though, on the road. In the three road games outside of the state of Washington, it has yet to score more than 24 points. It couldn’t get the O moving against Wisconsin or Michigan, and it was a struggle to do anything against Maryland. UCLA will take its game up a few notches, but the offense won’t have enough pop to keep the good first half momentum going for a full 60 minutes. The Huskies will win, but it won’t be a breeze. Washington 30, UCLA 20

 

[PonyBoy]

@Alum-Ni did you go to the Pentagon last Saturday? Curious to read your take on it.