I fully expect to lose on Saturday. Probably close...but it could even be ugly like two Saturdays ago at Michigan.
However, there is reason to be optimistic. Drink with me...
1--OSU's schedule has been weak. They've had one away game, which are notoriously harder in the Big Ten than anywhere else. Toledo is the only team with a winning record. Yes, they creamed everyone. But good teams do that to bad teams. We don't know how good OSU is yet. They've only really struggled with Notre Dame in week 1. A weak Notre Dame team (see Point 4 below).
2--PSU plays OSU tough at home even when our teams are bad. See 2012, 2014, and even 2016 (where OSU made the playoffs with only a loss to us as their blemish for the season). We have the talent to stay on the field with OSU...and do almost every time we play.
3--We're healthy. We're deep. No, not as talented as OSU, but deeper than we've been. And maybe deep enough to hold on down the stretch of a tight game...
4--We have the defense to slow down OSU's offensive juggernaut. Notre Dame--despite their awful offense--had a good defense and they kept that game close. What will they do with some adversity? If our offense can get any momentum, there's no reason we can't play complementary football and keep the game close, or even carry a lead for some of the game and make them respond to adversity.
5--Our offense. Okay, it's tough to be really optimistic here...but the freshmen RBs have more experience than ever (captain obvious) and the game plan has included the TEs in a more powerful fashion. Our receivers have flashed...but have been up and down. If they can stay "up," it could be a fun afternoon. Clifford has been a solid game manager at times and has made the "easy" throws...he doesn't need to throw for 300 and have zero turnovers, but if he can throw for 200 and run for a few first downs (maybe get 50 yards and a TD) and limit mistakes, then that's a Clifford that can put PSU in position to win.
If you drink my Kool-Aid, you can see a 34-28 PSU victory.
However, there is reason to be optimistic. Drink with me...
1--OSU's schedule has been weak. They've had one away game, which are notoriously harder in the Big Ten than anywhere else. Toledo is the only team with a winning record. Yes, they creamed everyone. But good teams do that to bad teams. We don't know how good OSU is yet. They've only really struggled with Notre Dame in week 1. A weak Notre Dame team (see Point 4 below).
2--PSU plays OSU tough at home even when our teams are bad. See 2012, 2014, and even 2016 (where OSU made the playoffs with only a loss to us as their blemish for the season). We have the talent to stay on the field with OSU...and do almost every time we play.
3--We're healthy. We're deep. No, not as talented as OSU, but deeper than we've been. And maybe deep enough to hold on down the stretch of a tight game...
4--We have the defense to slow down OSU's offensive juggernaut. Notre Dame--despite their awful offense--had a good defense and they kept that game close. What will they do with some adversity? If our offense can get any momentum, there's no reason we can't play complementary football and keep the game close, or even carry a lead for some of the game and make them respond to adversity.
5--Our offense. Okay, it's tough to be really optimistic here...but the freshmen RBs have more experience than ever (captain obvious) and the game plan has included the TEs in a more powerful fashion. Our receivers have flashed...but have been up and down. If they can stay "up," it could be a fun afternoon. Clifford has been a solid game manager at times and has made the "easy" throws...he doesn't need to throw for 300 and have zero turnovers, but if he can throw for 200 and run for a few first downs (maybe get 50 yards and a TD) and limit mistakes, then that's a Clifford that can put PSU in position to win.
If you drink my Kool-Aid, you can see a 34-28 PSU victory.