Here are my thoughts on Penn State match-ups against the current top 10 teams!

[Jerademan74]

I used week 11 AP poll. These predictions would be if we played the following teams on a truly neutral field (not like last year's Rose Bowl against USC):

1. Alabama - 31-17 loss as AL has the advantage on both sides of the LOS.
2. Georgia - 45-35 loss as UGA has an unbelievably fast team at all skill positions.
3. Notre Dame - 37-28 WIN as ND is over rated because they played GA close earlier in the season.
4. Clemson - 42-39 OT WIN. Clemson is a great team, but couldn't beat Syracuse?
5. Oklahoma - Pick-em. No defense but they can score. Saquon vs Baker; what a game to market!
6 Wisconsin - 38-35 WIN. We have greater talent and are better battle tested!
7. Miami - 28-25 WIN. Ditto from Wisky above.
8. TCU - 50-47 WIN. Would be a tough match-up for us as great passing game and fast skill players
9. Washington - 45-10 WIN. No contest!
10.Auburn - Pick-em. They have been coning on strong and may well beat either GA or AL!

This is obviously very subjective, but your thoughts please!

 

[PennStateNate]

Homer pick..

We get killed by Bama.. Their D vs our O-Line would be a nightmare.
ND has the best O-Line in football, I think they beat us.
Ga would beat us, but I think it be a close game.
Clemson would beat us, it also would be close, but our Secondary is weak IMO

Auburn also has some defense, so they may beat us.

Teams like Oklahoma, TCU are hard cause they don't have defense, but their offenses are great and our Defense leaves alot to be desire with the holes in the middle of the field.

 

[psuro]

I used week 11 AP poll. These predictions would be if we played the following teams on a truly neutral field (not like last year's Rose Bowl against USC):

1. Alabama - 31-17 loss as AL has the advantage on both sides of the LOS. Looks solid - I would venture that the score is close at halftime, but Bama's roster is too deep and comes at PSU and wears them down - on both sides of the ball.
2. Georgia - 45-35 loss as UGA has an unbelievably fast team at all skill positions. I am going to disagree - I think UGA has made it's hay on a win over a ND that was still figuring things out, and a relatively weak SEC, especially in the SEC East. PSU 38, UGA 17.
3. Notre Dame - 37-28 WIN as ND is over rated because they played GA close earlier in the season. Sure. But ND won't score 28 points. 37-17.
4. Clemson - 42-39 OT WIN. Clemson is a great team, but couldn't beat Syracuse? Kind of same scenario as UGA. I think we win 38-28.
5. Oklahoma - Pick-em. No defense but they can score. Saquon vs Baker; what a game to market! PSU. It ain't Keith Jackson, Jamelle Holloway and Brian Bosworth out there. And PSU defense is better than what they see, and their win over OSU is a bit too hyped. Plus they lost to Iowa State. I.O.W.A. S.T.A.T.E.
6 Wisconsin - 38-35 WIN. We have greater talent and are better battle tested! PSU 42-24.
7. Miami - 28-25 WIN. Ditto from Wisky above. PSU 42-14. Miami had it's one great game against Va Tech.
8. TCU - 50-47 WIN. Would be a tough match-up for us as great passing game and fast skill players PSU 42-38. They also lost to Iowa State. I.O.W.A. S.T.A.T.E.
9. Washington - 45-10 WIN. No contest! Agree.
10.Auburn - Pick-em. They have been coning on strong and may well beat either GA or AL! Tough one - but what the hell, I am a PSU fan, so I say PSU 28-21.

This is obviously very subjective, but your thoughts please!

Those are my thoughts, in bold.

 

[PennStateNate]

We just lost to Michigan State and can't run the ball, but all of a sudden we are going to beat Georgia, smoke Notre Dame and Clemson? OK LOL

 

[Mixolydian]

We just lost to a solid but not great by any stretch of the imagination MSU team. But, we would go 8-2 or 7-3 against the top 10 on a neutral field?

We are doing great, but we aren’t quite there yet in a few areas. Gaining on it. Need to win next 3 and then recruit...recruit...recruit....

 

[blion72]

We just lost to Michigan State and can't run the ball, but all of a sudden we are going to beat Georgia, smoke Notre Dame and Clemson? OK LOL

and i am not buying into the idea that MSU is even top 20 team. i think they are going to get smoked big time at the shoe on Sat.

 

[Art]

We win one, maybe two and some of the losses are blow outs.

 

[artsandletters]

I used week 11 AP poll. These predictions would be if we played the following teams on a truly neutral field (not like last year's Rose Bowl against USC):

1. Alabama - 31-17 loss as AL has the advantage on both sides of the LOS.
2. Georgia - 45-35 loss as UGA has an unbelievably fast team at all skill positions.
3. Notre Dame - 37-28 WIN as ND is over rated because they played GA close earlier in the season.
4. Clemson - 42-39 OT WIN. Clemson is a great team, but couldn't beat Syracuse?
5. Oklahoma - Pick-em. No defense but they can score. Saquon vs Baker; what a game to market!
6 Wisconsin - 38-35 WIN. We have greater talent and are better battle tested!
7. Miami - 28-25 WIN. Ditto from Wisky above.
8. TCU - 50-47 WIN. Would be a tough match-up for us as great passing game and fast skill players
9. Washington - 45-10 WIN. No contest!
10.Auburn - Pick-em. They have been coning on strong and may well beat either GA or AL!

This is obviously very subjective, but your thoughts please!

If they have no running game against these opponents they probably lose them all.

 

[YorkLion]

Iowa, OSU and MSU kept our running game in check and would expect the same against any of the current Top 10. Our numbers were largely inflated by such a mediocre early schedule.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

We just lost to Michigan State and can't run the ball, but all of a sudden we are going to beat Georgia, smoke Notre Dame and Clemson? OK LOL

We can run with them all, but probably wouldn’t last v several. Would most definitely get smoked by GA and Bama and probably get handled on the lines by Wisky. Just don’t have the depth to rotate guys. But we lost 2 very close games to solid teams, and one was a bizarre circumstance with the day itself taking a toll on the players.
ND has a great offense but their D is suspect. They’d likely outscore us.
Clemson is a pick ‘Em.
COULD beat 5-8 or so (especially at home) but hard to predict on the road and depends on who we’d have available/returning from injuries.

 

[Scatman07]

Iowa, OSU and MSU kept our running game in check and would expect the same against any of the current Top 10. Our numbers were largely inflated by such a mediocre early schedule.

Iowa? Barkley went for 200 something yards that game. Yeah i numbers were somewhat inflated, but it be interesting if to see what we would have with Bates in there for the Michigan State game. Our Oline looks pretty suspect without him.

 

[PSU Dave]

We win one, maybe two and some of the losses are blow outs.

Totally agree. The lines on both sides of the ball arent there yet. Hopefully this gap closes soon

 

[franklinman]

I used week 11 AP poll. These predictions would be if we played the following teams on a truly neutral field (not like last year's Rose Bowl against USC):

1. Alabama - 31-17 loss as AL has the advantage on both sides of the LOS.
2. Georgia - 45-35 loss as UGA has an unbelievably fast team at all skill positions.
3. Notre Dame - 37-28 WIN as ND is over rated because they played GA close earlier in the season.
4. Clemson - 42-39 OT WIN. Clemson is a great team, but couldn't beat Syracuse?
5. Oklahoma - Pick-em. No defense but they can score. Saquon vs Baker; what a game to market!
6 Wisconsin - 38-35 WIN. We have greater talent and are better battle tested!
7. Miami - 28-25 WIN. Ditto from Wisky above.
8. TCU - 50-47 WIN. Would be a tough match-up for us as great passing game and fast skill players
9. Washington - 45-10 WIN. No contest!
10.Auburn - Pick-em. They have been coning on strong and may well beat either GA or AL!

This is obviously very subjective, but your thoughts please!

You do know that Clemson played over half of the game with their 2nd QB.

 

[Jerademan74]

You do know that Clemson played over half of the game with their 2nd QB.

Yes, but they haven't looked sharp since then either!

 

[PennStateNate]

We can run with them all, but probably wouldn’t last v several. Would most definitely get smoked by GA and Bama and probably get handled on the lines by Wisky. Just don’t have the depth to rotate guys. But we lost 2 very close games to solid teams, and one was a bizarre circumstance with the day itself taking a toll on the players.
ND has a great offense but their D is suspect. They’d likely outscore us.
Clemson is a pick ‘Em.
COULD beat 5-8 or so (especially at home) but hard to predict on the road and depends on who we’d have available/returning from injuries.

Clemson is no way a pick em game.. They are getting healthy and as defending champs still one of the best in the country.

Wilkins against our OLine?

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Clemson is no way a pick em game.. They are getting healthy and as defending champs still one of the best in the country.

Wilkins against our OLine?

Wilkins would run through our OL. No question. But Gary should have as well and Clemson is vulnerable. They lost to Cuse and they’re no stronger than tOSU. With Bates and Bucholz, I think we’d beat Clemson and we’d cetainly be among the best in the country. And we’d likely have one less loss than Clemson.

But since we’re at least currently without those two, who knows. I guess I may have over-stated, but we could have won v tOSU without them and should have beaten MSU without them.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Subjective? Predicting a one game score is more like a roll of the dice crap shoot.

Respectively, it would be MUCH more interesting if you would post how many times out of 10 you think PSU would win vs each of these teams.

For example, vs. Alabama.....PSU would probably win 1-2 of 10.

Georgia, 2-3 of 10.

ND, 6-7 of 10.

Etc.

 

[PennStateNate]

Wilkins would run through our OL. No question. But Gary should have as well and Clemson is vulnerable. They lost to Cuse and they’re no stronger than tOSU. With Bates and Bucholz, I think we’d beat Clemson and we’d cetainly be among the best in the country. And we’d likely have one less loss than Clemson.

But since we’re at least currently without those two, who knows. I guess I may have over-stated, but we could have won v tOSU without them and should have beaten MSU without them.

Sorry I just don’t see it. At times this offense struggled with those 2. You are using excuses for us, but fail to realize Clemson has played most of the season with their backup QB.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Sorry I just don’t see it. At times this offense struggled with those 2. You are using excuses for us, but fail to realize Clemson has played most of the season with their backup QB.

Fair enough. And yes, I realize it. Here’s hoping We can see it on the field.

 

[PSU.:.]

PSU probably losses almost all of those. You can’t beat teams this good without a run game. Without some what consistent run game PSU does not deserve to be in top 10.
A poor run game with best rb in like 20 years is just mind boggling to me. How does that even happen. We must have worst OL in history of college football.

 

[BUFFALO LION]

I used week 11 AP poll. These predictions would be if we played the following teams on a truly neutral field (not like last year's Rose Bowl against USC):

1. Alabama - 31-17 loss as AL has the advantage on both sides of the LOS.
2. Georgia - 45-35 loss as UGA has an unbelievably fast team at all skill positions.
3. Notre Dame - 37-28 WIN as ND is over rated because they played GA close earlier in the season.
4. Clemson - 42-39 OT WIN. Clemson is a great team, but couldn't beat Syracuse?
5. Oklahoma - Pick-em. No defense but they can score. Saquon vs Baker; what a game to market!
6 Wisconsin - 38-35 WIN. We have greater talent and are better battle tested!
7. Miami - 28-25 WIN. Ditto from Wisky above.
8. TCU - 50-47 WIN. Would be a tough match-up for us as great passing game and fast skill players
9. Washington - 45-10 WIN. No contest!
10.Auburn - Pick-em. They have been coning on strong and may well beat either GA or AL!

This is obviously very subjective, but your thoughts please!

Have you seen us play????? We have absolutely no short yardage offense, we can't control clock, and we are weak on both sides of the line of scrimmage against the better teams. Fundamentally, we aren't even in the same galaxy compared to some of our teams from the past. Those teams could actually tackle, and wear you down offensively. Right now, we are a finesse team that can't protect a lead.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame destroyed the 2 teams that beat us in the very same venue we had to play in. Oklahoma controlled the LOS against Ohio State. Notre Dame was able to force turnovers and out athlete Michigan State.

Michigan State pretty much proved we aren't built for bad weather. At Ohio State, we got every break possible, and still lost. We literally choked at the end. Oklahoma didn't choke against Ohio State. They put the hammer down and planted their flag at midfield after the game was over.

I hate to say this, but we are morphing into some combination of a Mike Leach/Joe Tiller conceived animal. Great at blowing out cream puffs, but horrible at protecting leads. If we are lucky, we MIGHT beat 4 or 5 of those teams you list on a good day, but I certainly wouldn't put any money on it.

 

[PennStateNate]

Have you seen us play????? We have absolutely no short yardage offense, we can't control clock, and we are weak on both sides of the line of scrimmage against the better teams. Fundamentally, we aren't even in the same galaxy compared to some of our teams from the past. Those teams could actually tackle, and wear you down offensively. Right now, we are a finesse team that can't protect a lead.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame destroyed the 2 teams that beat us in the very same venue we had to play in. Oklahoma controlled the LOS against Ohio State. Notre Dame was able to force turnovers and out athlete Michigan State.

Michigan State pretty much proved we aren't built for bad weather. At Ohio State, we got every break possible, and still lost. We literally choked at the end. Oklahoma didn't choke against Ohio State. They put the hammer down and planted their flag at midfield after the game was over.

I hate to say this, but we are morphing into some combination of a Mike Leach/Joe Tiller conceived animal. Great at blowing out cream puffs, but horrible at protecting leads. If we are lucky, we MIGHT beat 4 or 5 of those teams you list on a good day, but I certainly wouldn't put any money on it.

Good point on OU and ND. I have seen ND play twice and a bit last week and I must say as much as I can’t stand Kelly. They may the best chance to beat Bama with the OLine they have.

 

[bison13]

As of right now, probably lose 8 of 10. Beat Rutgres, UN and MD and have some mojo back and probably win 8 of 10. Confidence is huge with 20 year olds and they dont have it right now. Dont see anyone beating Bama

 

[j4golf]

We would be 0 & 10 against the top ten teams until we fix this O-line issue. We are 0 & 1 now and that team isn’t in the top 10 anymore. I love our team and will always but we need to fix the trenches before we can take on these teams in the top 10. Not saying we can’t beat them on a given day but to constantly beat the top 10 teams, the trenches need fixing.

 

[Jerademan74]

Have you seen us play????? We have absolutely no short yardage offense, we can't control clock, and we are weak on both sides of the line of scrimmage against the better teams. Fundamentally, we aren't even in the same galaxy compared to some of our teams from the past. Those teams could actually tackle, and wear you down offensively. Right now, we are a finesse team that can't protect a lead.

Oklahoma and Notre Dame destroyed the 2 teams that beat us in the very same venue we had to play in. Oklahoma controlled the LOS against Ohio State. Notre Dame was able to force turnovers and out athlete Michigan State.

Michigan State pretty much proved we aren't built for bad weather. At Ohio State, we got every break possible, and still lost. We literally choked at the end. Oklahoma didn't choke against Ohio State. They put the hammer down and planted their flag at midfield after the game was over.

I hate to say this, but we are morphing into some combination of a Mike Leach/Joe Tiller conceived animal. Great at blowing out cream puffs, but horrible at protecting leads. If we are lucky, we MIGHT beat 4 or 5 of those teams you list on a good day, but I certainly wouldn't put any money on it.

You sure are a pessimist! If we played any of those teams in a bowl game, we would have 3 or 4 weeks to prepare. The deficiencies we have that you so nastily explained would be taken into our game plan to capitalize on the deficiencies of the other teams. Look what we did to Michigan when we had time to prepare! OK, so Michigan may not be a top 10 team, but their defense is top 10. We were able to run on them when we needed to, and had them way off balance most of the game. Game planning is effective under CJF and his staff and you give them no credit at all, but choose to focus on obvious weaknesses of the RPO scheme. We can surprise any team with proper preparation, even Alabama on a good day!

 

[Art]

You sure are a pessimist! If we played any of those teams in a bowl game, we would have 3 or 4 weeks to prepare. The deficiencies we have that you so nastily explained would be taken into our game plan to capitalize on the deficiencies of the other teams. Look what we did to Michigan when we had time to prepare! OK, so Michigan may not be a top 10 team, but their defense is top 10. We were able to run on them when we needed to, and had them way off balance most of the game. Game planning is effective under CJF and his staff and you give them no credit at all, but choose to focus on obvious weaknesses of the RPO scheme. We can surprise any team with proper preparation, even Alabama on a good day!

You must have overlooked the fact that the other teams would also have 3-4 weeks to prepare. And I must have overlooked the fact that PSU's coaches and players are so much better than any of the teams in the Top 10. Silly me!

 

[ILLINOISLION]

You sure are a pessimist! If we played any of those teams in a bowl game, we would have 3 or 4 weeks to prepare. The deficiencies we have that you so nastily explained would be taken into our game plan to capitalize on the deficiencies of the other teams. Look what we did to Michigan when we had time to prepare! OK, so Michigan may not be a top 10 team, but their defense is top 10. We were able to run on them when we needed to, and had them way off balance most of the game. Game planning is effective under CJF and his staff and you give them no credit at all, but choose to focus on obvious weaknesses of the RPO scheme. We can surprise any team with proper preparation, even Alabama on a good day!

And, surprisingly, the other teams can do the same to us.

 

[PennStateNate]

As of right now, probably lose 8 of 10. Beat Rutgres, UN and MD and have some mojo back and probably win 8 of 10. Confidence is huge with 20 year olds and they dont have it right now. Dont see anyone beating Bama

So beat three bad teams and all of a sudden we are the best team in the country?

We all love Penn State and stand by this program, but some of you need to take the blinders off. This team still have major holes. the best 2 teams who IMO aren't even top 20 and we lost both. No way we would be able to beat any top team right now. Not sure next year either to be honest.

 

[bison13]

win three in a row, play well and have confidence, yes they could play with anyone outside of bama. glad you arent coaching

 

[psu2016]

Subjective? Predicting a one game score is more like a roll of the dice crap shoot.

Respectively, it would be MUCH more interesting if you would post how many times out of 10 you think PSU would win vs each of these teams.

For example, vs. Alabama.....PSU would probably win 1-2 of 10.

Georgia, 2-3 of 10.

ND, 6-7 of 10.

Etc.

With Buch and Bates:
1. Georgia 2/10
2. Alabama 1/10
3. ND 2/10
4. Clemson 4/10
5. OU 5/10
6. TCU 7/10
7. Miami 6/10
8. Wisconsin 7/10
9. Washington 7/10
10. Auburn 5/10

 

[PennStateNate]

win three in a row, play well and have confidence, yes they could play with anyone outside of bama. glad you arent coaching

With their current line?

 

[ILLINOISLION]

With Buch and Bates:
1. Georgia 2/10
2. Alabama 1/10
3. ND 2/10
4. Clemson 4/10
5. OU 5/10
6. TCU 7/10
7. Miami 6/10
8. Wisconsin 7/10
9. Washington 7/10
10. Auburn 5/10

2016 - nice response! Not sure you nailed all of them, but overall a pretty good job, I’d give you a B+!

 

[PennStateNate]

With Buch and Bates:
1. Georgia 2/10
2. Alabama 1/10
3. ND 2/10
4. Clemson 4/10
5. OU 5/10
6. TCU 7/10
7. Miami 6/10
8. Wisconsin 7/10
9. Washington 7/10
10. Auburn 5/10

I would say OU is probably 3/10.. They may not have any defense, but if we made barrett and that MSU QB look that good, Mayfield could set records vs us.

Wisky would also be a 5/10 matchup.