Penn State’s Midwest migration is failing, Temple rides the rush, and Eastern is dominant, yet again

It would appear that the Great Iowa State migration to Penn State hasn’t exactly been a seamless transition. When Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell arrived in Happy Valley in December, he brought 14 of his starters from the Cyclones with him.

In fact, in a sweep of Penn State’s 112-man roster, 24 came from Iowa State, headlined by quarterback Rocco Becht, who was so dedicated to helping Campbell that the fifth-year quarterback is taking just one class this fall, and it’s online.

That familiarity was supposed to help Campbell get Penn State off on the right foot, and it did, against nonconference opponents in Marshall, Temple and Buffalo. But in the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions have struggled, being upended by Wisconsin and routed by Northwestern last week, in what historically has been a gimme game for Penn State.

Campbell told media members on Tuesday that his roster lacks an “identity” at the moment as he’s still trying to find out what ails it. What’s apparent is a lackluster offense that has seen Becht throw just one touchdown pass in the last two games, and three interceptions.

» READ MORE: Matt Campbell thinks Penn State lacks an ‘identity.’ Is there time to find one before No. 19 USC?

It doesn’t get any easier for a Penn State team that faces No. 19 USC on Saturday (7:30 p.m., NBC10) in the team’s annual White Out game. Ticket prices for the game have plummeted with fans knowing that a win is destined to be an uphill climb and a loss effectively ends any chance at a shot of qualifying for the College Football Playoff.

Assuming that ship hasn’t already sailed. But Campbell remains hopeful. Right now, that’s all the Nittany Lions seem to have.

“The reality of it is, we have to be better, and it starts with my leadership of making sure we get better,” Campbell said. “But, I got great belief in the humans that we have; we’re just not there right now.”

That’s the number of rushing yards Temple has averaged on the ground through five games this season, courtesy of dual-threat quarterback Ajani Sheppard and shifty running back Hunter Smith. In the win against South Florida last Saturday, the Owls ran for 182 yards, with Sheppard accounting for the bulk of the carries (14). Now, Temple will look to get to .500, welcoming UConn to Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday (3:45 p.m., ESPNU).

» READ MORE: As Ajani Sheppard settles in as Temple’s starting QB, he’s adding some extra steps to his routine

Last season, one could almost place a wager on a prediction market that Villanova would be taking a win away from Villanova Stadium and cash out. The Wildcats celebrated a 23-game winning streak at their stadium along the Main Line dating to 2022 and finished with a 12-3 record last season, getting to the FCS semifinal before its streak was snapped by then-No. 17 Illinois State. This season, the Wildcats are 0-3 at home with their most recent loss a nail-biter last Saturday to Morgan State.

Where do the Wildcats (2-4) go from here? Well, nowhere just yet given they have a much needed bye week before a trip to New York to play Fordham on Oct. 17 (3:30 p.m., ESPN+). But as coach Mark Ferrante noted, there’ll be a bit of soul searching during this week of reflection.

“Yeah, we’ll see how our guys respond,” Ferrante said when asked about the upcoming week off. “I mean, they’re still in class next week, so it’s not like they have a week ‘off.’ And then we have an extra week to prepare for the next opponent, which is Fordham. So we’ll clean this up tomorrow, just like we do on every Sunday.”

🏈 How long will it take Penn freshman quarterback Miles Teodecki to get up to speed with the rigors of college football? A good test arrives when Penn hosts Howard at Franklin Field on Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN+). It will be the first time the Quakers play the Bison in its 150-year history.

🏈 What was behind the turnaround for an Eastern football team that, after losing its season opener, has launched out to a 3-1 start? They have outscored opponents 80-28, including a 32-0 rout at home of Lebanon Valley College. Just like last season, in which the Eagles finished with a 10-2 record, this will certainly be a team to watch. Up next, a game against King’s College at home on Saturday (12:30 p.m., watch live).

🏈 Will D’Anton Lynn’s knowledge of USC as its former defensive coordinator serve as an advantage to Penn State on Saturday? Lynn, a former Penn State player himself, has no allegiance to the school in Southern California, and is a coach for a team that is watching its College Football Playoff hopes dwindle by the day.

No. 2 Georgia at No. 6 Alabama (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., 6ABC)

This is a game that will test the Bulldogs’ status as the second-best team in college football. Conversely, it could expose the Crimson Tide as not being worthy of being considered a Top 10 team should they lose. However, oddsmakers like Alabama to make them a 1.5-point favorite given the game is in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Prediction: Georgia 27, Alabama 21

Oklahoma at No. 1 Texas (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., 6ABC)

Usually this space is reserved for just one game, but this matchup is a channel flipper for those also interested in Temple’s game against UConn. Oklahoma is unranked, but the Sooners are looking to prove their 24-point loss to Georgia last week was a fluke, and what better way to do it than to chase down the red-hot Longhorns offense led by quarterback Arch Manning. Clearly, this is the thinking of oddsmakers who only have the Longhorns as 7.5-point favorites at home in this storied rivalry.

Prediction: Texas 38, Oklahoma 28

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