Penn State vs Northwestern: Storylines to watch on Saturday
Penn State will look to improve 5-0 on Saturday afternoon in their first Big Ten matchup since taking on and defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 35-31 in their season opener in week one. Coming into Happy Valley for the first time since 2014 is the Northwestern Wildcats who sit at 1-3 on the season but 1-0 in Big Ten play as they defeated the then Scott Frost-led Nebraska Cornhuskers in week zero.
It's a game on paper, that Penn State should win. They're the more talented and deeper team in this matchup and it's not particularly close. That being said, Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is known for having his team ready to go in these situations and has had success against Penn State in the past.
For Penn State, Saturday's game offers a chance for James Franklin's program to finish the "first half" of their season in the best position possible before heading into their bye week. Of course, coming out of that bye week, the Nittany Lions have a trio of tough matchups against Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State. But there are still several questions that must be answered and storylines to follow in Saturday's matchup.
How will the weather impact the game on Saturday afternoon?
It will be damp, rainy, and windy day on Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium, it will be intriguing to see how the weather impacts Saturday's game between the Nittany Lions and Wildcats.
As of right now, Accuweather calls for 55 degrees with periods of rain throughout the day thanks to what will then be Tropical Rainstorm Ian. Winds throughout the day will be consistent in the teens but will have wind gusts as high as 36 mph. There is a small chance of thunderstorms as well, Accuweather giving it a 9% chance as of Friday afternoon.
How will the weather affect the game? Will either team feel comfortable throwing the ball if the wind picks up? How will it affect the kicking game? It surely isn't a great mix for the Nittany Lions as they look to get their placekicking more consistent.
The Nittany Lions have gotten lucky this season with the weather but they'll have to battle the elements on Saturday, but Northwestern will have to as well. Ball security could end up being a big part of this one as well as each team's rushing attacks.
Can Penn State open up holes on the ground, consistently?
Talking about the rushing attack, Penn State's run game could be the focal point of the offense once again Northwestern. Last week, the Nittany Lions' offensive line was up-and-down in their run blocking, and while they have a bye week coming up, it would be pretty imperative for the offensive line to gain some confidence and consistency in their run blocking on Saturday.
Going into their next stretch against Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State, running the ball will be a big key to success if they hope to win any of those games. Their blocking has definitely taken a step up this year and having dynamic backs in Nick Singleton and kaytron Allen certainly helps as well. But as they head into a bye week, getting a nice boost of confidence from a strong all-around performance on Saturday could be big for the offensive line.
Will a No.3 wide receiver emerge?
Penn State has shown its depth at wide receiver this season but still has not seen a No.3 wide receiver emerge after Mitchell Tinsley and Parker Washington. On paper, it would seem KeAndre Lambert-Smith would be that No.3 but he's totaled nine receptions for 104 yards and one touchdown this season. Will a No.3 wide receiver finally emerge against Northwestern?
How much will we see of Drew Allar?
Drew Allar has seen time in each of Penn State's four games this year but James Franklin would've liked to get him more time against both Ohio and Central Michigan. On paper, Saturday's game is one where the Nittany Lions should be able to get the true freshman plenty of snaps but that will ultimately be dedicated by the starter's abilities to give Penn State a comfortable lead early. Against Ohio and Central Michigan, the Nittany Lions got off to strong starts before sluggish second-quarter efforts kept the Bobcats and Chippewas in the games.
Can Penn State put together a full first half on Saturday against Northwestern? If they do, it wouldn't be shocking to see Drew Allar get a large number of snaps in the second half. Also, we may see the Ohio native get snaps in the second quarter as well, Franklin has noted wanting to do so in the past.
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