Minnesota vs Penn State prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 8, Saturday, October 22
Minnesota vs Penn State How To Watch
Date: Saturday, October 22
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Beaver Stadium, State College, PA
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Minnesota (4-2), Penn State (5-1)
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Minnesota vs Penn State Game Preview
Why Minnesota Will Win
The Gophers need to find their pounding groove again.
They’ve got the beef up front, the tremendous backs, and the veteran quarterback to make it all go, but those backs – primarily Mohamed Ibrahim – weren’t healthy in the loss to Purdue, and it was the passing game that let the team down in the loss to Illinois.
Penn State hadn’t played anyone who could run. Auburn could sort of run, but not really. Michigan can run, and it did over and over again as it wore down the Nittany Lions with 418 rushing yards in the 41-17 win.
Even after the two losses and all of the problems, Minnesota still leads the nation in third down conversions and third down stops. It’s still the best in the nation at avoiding penalties, it’s the best in the Big Ten at controlling the clock, and …
Why Penn State Will Win
Minnesota was able to amass those lofty stats by dominating a slew of mediocre teams.
It’s not the Gophers’ fault that Colorado is bad at college football this year or that Michigan State couldn’t seem to do anything right, but they got to 4-0 without beating a team that will – mostly likely – finish with a winning record.
Purdue and Illinois were the first real tests, and Minnesota failed.
Penn State might have problems on third downs against this D, but the other side of the ball should hold up just fine, especially against the Gopher passing attack.
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What’s Going To Happen
Which Minnesota team will show up?
Will it be the one that couldn’t do anything wrong in East Lansing in the dominant win over Michigan State, or will it be the one that couldn’t get going in Champaign in the frustrating loss to Illinois?
Besides those being the games against the two best teams on the slate so far, there was one other problem – the turnovers. Minnesota turned it over three times in the first four games and six times – all interceptions – in the last two.
Penn State will struggle, and it’ll get hammered on for the second week in a row. A decent offensive balance and +2 turnover margin will be the difference.
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Minnesota vs Penn State Prediction, Line
Penn State 24, Minnesota 20
Line: Penn State -4.5, o/u: 43
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Minnesota vs Penn State Must See Rating (out of 5): 4
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