Penn State vs. Idaho: Predicting the Nittany Lions’ season opener
This should in no way be a repeat of last year's Penn State opener, when the team needed overtime to defeat Appalachian State. First-time starters and young players will get some good experience.
This should be an easier curtain-raiser to the season for Penn State than last year’s, when the Nittany Lions barely escaped with a 45-38 overtime win over Appalachian State. Idaho is an FCS team that has been picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Sky Conference, and any kind of scare in this game means that the Lions aren’t as good as people say they are.
This will be a good chance for Penn State’s first-time starters and young players to get into the groove of big-time football. The defense will get a chance to flex against a Vandals offense that was outscored by almost 13 points a game last season. The Nittany Lions also are focused on getting turnovers, and Idaho was minus-13 in turnover margin a year ago.
The Vandals have some good individual talent, but this really shouldn’t be a very competitive game.
Call it: Penn State, 52-10.