Penn State Prediction Thread..

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Thursday Sep 14, 2006

PSU: 42
YSU: 13

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Friday Sep 15, 2006

This one is all PSU... For sure

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Sunday Sep 17, 2006

Congrats to PSU on the win, although I hate it when a great school like PSU schedules a Div. 1-AA school. There's really no excuse for that.

Oh, and from the Michigan homer to the Penn State Nation, regarding getting some revenge for you for last week versus the Domers...You're Welcome.

Michigan: 47

Notre Dame: 21

I feel like I just kicked Touchdown Jesus in the nutsack.

Post by **Jim Price** » Sunday Sep 17, 2006

ToonaRockGuy said:

Congrats to PSU on the win, although I hate it when a great school like PSU schedules a Div. 1-AA school. There's really no excuse for that.

Originally, Penn State was to face Louisiana Tech, but Tech cancelled the game late last year due to a scheduling conflict with the Western Athletic Conference, and Youngstown State was available and replaced Tech on the schedule.

And although Youngstown State is Division I-AA, they mentioned on the radio broadcast that 14 of their players are transfers from Division I-A programs, including Ohio State and Kentucky.

AtoMikEnRtiA · Post by **AtoMikEnRtiA** » Wednesday Sep 20, 2006

This is getting to be a mess people. Please follow the directions on my first post, and delete your outdated posts.. its hard as fuck to determine winners when i gotta scroll through 300 posts of meaningless bullshit. kthxbye

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Wednesday Sep 20, 2006

AtoMikEnRtiA wrote:This is getting to be a mess people. Please follow the directions on my first post, and delete your outdated posts.. its hard as fuck to determine winners when i gotta scroll through 300 posts of meaningless bullshit. kthxbye

You cannot delete posts once somebody has posted after you.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Wednesday Sep 20, 2006

OSU 12
PSU 6

Post by **Jim Price** » Thursday Sep 21, 2006

I'm hoping the Nittany Lion defense can keep it close, and give Anthony Morelli and the offense a chance to win it late. But I'm not confident that the Nits' offense is consistent enough yet to get the job done against the top-ranked Buckeyes. I'll be rooting for the Lions, but I think they have a tall order this week:

Ohio State 24
Penn State 14

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Thursday Sep 21, 2006

OSU 31
PSU 21

Post by **Jim Price** » Thursday Sep 28, 2006

Penn State should bounce back pretty convincingly against Northwestern. Northwestern is having quarterback issues thus far, and both of their wins have been against winless teams. And it's in Happy Valley.

Penn State 38
Northwestern 13

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Friday Sep 29, 2006

PSU 31
NU 10

There will be no late game gimme interceptions for touchdowns that will change the score from 14-6 to 28-6.

Post by **Jim Price** » Friday Oct 06, 2006

Minnesota on the road will give the Lions more of a test than Northwestern did last weekend, but I think the Lions defense will stifle the Gophers, and the Lions should prevail in what should be a good tune-up for Michigan's visit next Saturday night.

Penn State 30-13

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Friday Oct 06, 2006

PSU 23
Minnesota 10

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Friday Oct 06, 2006

PSU 27
UM 10

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Saturday Oct 07, 2006

PSU: 31

Minn: 20

And next week, it's time for JP to buy Kevin beer for yet another year!

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Oct 07, 2006

ToonaRockGuy wrote:PSU: 31

Minn: 20

And next week, it's time for JP to buy Kevin beer for yet another year!

So I guess you're pickin' Michigan to lose this year, huh Kevin?

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Saturday Oct 07, 2006

Hehehehhhh, no. I thought this would be PSU's year, but they haven't looked that impressive to me, and (as of right now, Saturday @ 8:17PM) with Auburn biting the big one at Arkansas, I wouldn't be suprised when the polls come out to see Michigan at either #2 or #3, depending on where the SEC homers put Florida.

And for the record, JP and I have been making the annual case of beer bet for (I believe) 10 years now. Straight up, no points, just me picking Michigan and JP picking Penn State.

I've never lost.

Miller Lite this year, please, Professor.

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Sunday Oct 08, 2006

Win/Lose How about a big hand for Jopa! He will turn 80 in December.
The man is a living legend and lives an hour from all of us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Paterno

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

Up Next:

#4 Michigan
vs.
Penn State

Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA 8:00PM

So since I love this game so much, I'll do my predicting first:

Prior to the 2006 season, my initial thoughts in conversations regarding this game was that this would finally be the year that Penn State beat Michigan. I thought, the game is at PSU, lots of returning starters for State, strong running game, natch.

However...

After watching both PSU and Michigan for the first part of the season, I reconsidered and decided to do a position by position comparison for my predictions...so here you go:

QB: PSU's Anthony Morelli has had WAY too much pressure put on him by the Nittany Lion nation. He may as well be a freshman, he's a first year starter. Chad Henne of Michigan? 3rd year starter, playing like a senior, and provided he doesn't leave for the draft early, PSU gets to see Henne again next year as well.

Advantage: Michigan

RB: PSU has one of the most underrated backs in the nation in Tony Hunt. I love this kid. I love his fire, competitiveness, and will to win. He reminds me of a larger version of Michigan's Michael Hart, another hugely underrated running back. Michigan has great depth at RB, with highly-sought-after sophomore Kevin Grady and dynamic freshman Brandon Minor. PSU is not too shabby, with Rodney Kinlaw, and (if he shows up) Austin Scott

Advantage: PUSH

WR/TE: PSU's strongest area, in my opinion. Unreal talent levels with Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, and Derrick Williams. (Even nice to see Altoona's Brendan Perretta getting some looks!) But Michigan is right there with PSU, featuring game-breaker Steve Breaston, Nittany Lion-killer Mario Manningham, solid TE's Mike Massey and Tyler Ecker, experienced senior Carl Tabb and super-underclassmen Adrian Arrington and Antonio Bass. But I have to give the advantage to Michigan, only due to who is throwing the ball to the WR's and TE's.

Advantage: Michigan

Offensive Line: This one goes to Michigan. One of the most consistent, well coached, and well regarded lines in all of college football year after year. PSU's line is no slouch, but having to protect the inexperienced Morelli while he decides what to do with the ball makes the job a lot tougher.

Advantage: Michigan

Defensive Line: This one was really tough to figure. I'm still trying to understand how the PSU D-Line got absolutely PWNED by Notre Dame, yet Michigan manhandled the Irish O-Line. I believe that the PSU/Notre Dame game was a fluke, and that the PSU D-Line gets better as the season goes on.

Advantage: PUSH

Linebackers: This is a push, easily. Now before you begin howling, hear me out. Michigan has an answer for every PSU linebacker. You say Paul Pozluzny? Michigan says Prescott Burgess. You say Dan Connor and Sean Lee? Michigan says Dave Harris and Shawn Crable. It's even.

Advantage: PUSH

Secondary: Michigan has one of the best defensive backfields in the country. Penn State's is going to be good, but is still in progress. Methinks the Wolverine recieving corps is licking their chops.

Advantage: Michigan

Special Teams: This one has to go to Michigan. Senior Punt/Kick returner, Senior Kicker, big-game experience and big-game consistency.

Advantage: Michigan

Coaching: JoePa vs Lloyd Carr. The only way it would be better is if it was JoePa vs Bo Schembechler. Anyway, I'd love to go with Penn State here, but as the old saying goes, "to be the man, you've got to beat the man", and as much as I respect Joe, he hasn't beaten Lloyd enough. In their 9 meetings since Carr took over the Wolverine program, JoePa is 2-7 against the Maize & Blue.

Advantage: Michigan

My official prediction: This will be the game of the season, just like last year. I don't see a spectacular finish, but a defensive battle that ultimately will be won or lost with the passing game. Can PSU shut down the Michigan wideouts and Chad Henne? I say NO.

Michigan 27

PSU 17

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

Michigan 38
PSU 17

Hmmm... I love my team and will be at the game Saturday, but I agree... Michigan's passing game is superior in this match-up. Thats why I predict a higher score with PSU only scoring 17... Assuming that they can actually kick a field goal this weekend!!!

However... I hope they can hold them and kick their ass on national TV!!!

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic
www.myspace.com/burk1
www.lowjackmusic.com

Post by **Jim Price** » Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

Happy Valley may be a very, very dangerous place for the Michigan Wolverines come Saturday night.

On paper, as Toona so eloquently laid out for us above, Michigan would appear to have enough apparent advantages, particularly in experience, to overpower the Penn State Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium this Saturday night. Good thing the game is not played on paper.

Penn State has been steadily improving since the season's start, especially since the Notre Dame travesty. The Lions gave top-ranked Ohio State all it could handle in Columbus. The defense held the Buckeyes to 14 points, and the offense was able to move the ball up and down the field on the Buckeyes; late mistakes led to the two returned interceptions that resulted in the lopsided 28-6 score. Penn State's biggest problem so far has been finishing drives; and they made progress in that department this past Saturday at Minnesota, particularly with their long touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. And their come-from-behind win in overtime - on the road - has to be a further confidence builder. Also, Penn State's only turnover in that game was on the botched field goal attempt late in the second quarter, when Kevin Kelly attempted a wounded duck pass. Anthony Morelli didn't throw any picks.

What may be the most important factor come Saturday night is the intangible that Toona didn't outline in the synapsis above. Incentive. Penn State has had this game circled on the schedule ever since Michigan scored the last second touchdown to hand the Lions their lone loss last season. This year, the roles are reversed. Penn State has nothing to lose and everything to gain; they aren't undefeated, they have no shot at a national championship and only a marginal shot at the Big Ten title. Michigan has an undefeated season, BCS and Big Ten title implications, all which can come crashing down on Saturday night. Defensively, Pozluszny, Connor and Lee will have chips on their shoulders and something to prove; and I could see Justin King having a breakout game against Michigan's receiving corps, especially without Mario Manningham. Offensively, wouldn't it be poetic justice if Derrick Williams scored the winning touchdown against the team that ended his freshman season last year with a broken arm? JoePa has something to prove; consider that this may well be his last opportunity to take down Lloyd Carr in Beaver Stadium, in front of a national television audience no less.

Joe Paterno is tired of being Lloyd Carr's bitch, and I think this is the year he and the Lions turn the tide. He and the Lions shook all the other Big Ten monkeys off their backs last season; Michigan is the only one left (well, except Iowa, that's next season). The Lions aren't getting the respect after the Notre Dame and Ohio State losses, and they're flying under the radar; just where Joe likes them to be. They're a strong 4-2, not a weak 4-2. They're a work in progress. JoePa will have a few tricks up his sleeve for the Wolverines, I'm sure. A Penn State win over Michigan would be a statement win that tells the rest of college football that Penn State isn't rebuilding this year, they are reloading for what could be a national championship run in 2007. It will be a Penn State whiteout at Beaver Stadium, and the loud crowd will become the important 12th player in the Lions' corner. The trap has been set for the Wolverines.

I think this will be a tight battle, to be decided late in the fourth quarter or possibly even overtime. Given their steady and gradual improvements, I think this is the game where the Nittany Lions put it all together. Anthony Morelli will come of age. Beating the Wolverines will get the final monkey off the Lions' back, start their campaign towards a strong finish in 2006, and a championship run in 2007. And it will stock me up in Genesee through...err...at least Halloween? Better keep some bucks in your wallet for a Genny 30-pack, Toona - I think you will be needing them.

JP'S PREDICTION:

PENN STATE 31
MICHIGAN 24

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

I Hope you're right JP!!!

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Tuesday Oct 10, 2006

JP, I hope you are right but PSU giving up 350 yards to Brian Cupito?
Chad Henne will most likely light them up for about the same.

Michigan 31
PSU 14

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Saturday Oct 14, 2006

UM 27
PSU 20

This could go 34-20 if an impatient Morelli tries to run a 2-minute drill.

AtoMikEnRtiA · Post by **AtoMikEnRtiA** » Sunday Oct 15, 2006

why does every State loss this season have to be such a heartbreaker?

if Kelly makes that field goal on the first drive.. it's a 3 point loss..

if State played better on the offensive side.. they could have won..

Penn State.. the team that loves to make you cry..