Here are the 3 questions that will decide Penn State football’s season opener against Wisconsin
Penn State football’s season opener is drawing closer and closer but questions remain about how they will play in Week 1. The No. 19 Nittany Lions take on the No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers at noon Saturday in Camp Randall Stadium, a notoriously difficult venue for any road opponent, let alone a Big Ten opponent in a ranked matchup.
Both teams are far from finish products and will likely show that when they clash in the season opener. What will it take for either to come away with a victory? Let’s take a look at the three questions that will decide Saturday’s game.
Can Penn State force Wisconsin to change its offensive game plan?
The Badgers are notorious for beating opponents down with their rushing attack and minimizing the damage an opposing offense can do. They’re adept at finding openings in the passing game and using play-action passes to catch defenses sleeping, but they aren’t a team that wants to launch the ball all over the field.
Naturally, it would make sense then for the Nittany Lions to try to find a way to force their opponents into more passing situations and more situations where they have to move the ball quickly. The obvious way to do that is simply by stopping the running game. However, given how well Wisconsin runs the ball and how good their offensive line and running backs are, you can probably toss that out the window as a way to keep the Badgers from consistently running.
The best option, then, is to make them play from behind. That means a hot start for Penn State with big plays. It’s easy to run the ball and hammer your opponent over and over again with a lead or even in one possession games, but if the Nittany Lions can get up early and get up by multiple scores, they’ll have a chance to completely disrupt the Wisconsin offense. A hot start could force Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst to modify his game plan and have his team throw the ball more than he’s likely planning to do heading into the game.
Will the Nittany Lion offensive line hold up against the Badgers?
Penn State should have a good offensive line this year, to the point that it could be one of the strengths of the offense. Four of the five starters are locked in with Anthony Whigan and Eric Wilson splitting reps at left guard — although if one plays better they will likely get more time in that particular game, according to Penn State head coach James Franklin. That group is bookended by Rasheed Walker at left tackle and Caedan Wallace at right tackle, with Mike Miranda at center and Juice Scruggs at right guard.
It’s a good thing for the Nittany Lions that three of those four are returning starters because Wisconsin presents all kinds of challenges up front that should make for an interesting matchup in the trenches.
The Badgers have multiple players who can proficiently rush the passer along their defensive line, which features three players in their 3-4 scheme, but it’s the pressure from the second level of the defense that can really wreak havoc. It’s going to be vital for Penn State to keep track of Nick Herbig and Noah Burks on the outside, along with Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal on the inside. Those four players can come from a variety of angles and will put Penn State in compromised positions when it has the ball.
Winning the battle in the trenches and halting the Wisconsin pass rush would go a long way in securing a victory for the Nittany Lions. On the other hand, if they lose that battle and the Badgers consistently get pressure, it could be a long day for the Penn State offense.
Which quarterback will take the next step?
All eyes have been on redshirt senior Sean Clifford this offseason. The third-year starter had a down season in 2020 and the Nittany Lions will need him to bounce back if they want to have a successful 2021 season. However, the quarterback on the other sideline is also in a position where he needs to take a step forward.
Graham Mertz is already arguably the best quarterback the Badgers have had since Russell Wilson in 2011. The redshirt sophomore has excellent arm talent and has shown the ability to make every throw necessary. However, he needs to take a step forward with his decision making and his accuracy in order for Wisconsin to have a chance to win the Big Ten this season.
Both Mertz and Clifford suffered from similar accuracy issues in 2020, and both have shown — Clifford at Penn State in 2019 and Mertz in high school — that there is more to be unlocked in their game this season. Both players have a chance to make their respective season openers this weekend a win. Whichever quarterback takes that next step forward in this game from their performance last year will have a much better chance of leading their team to victory than the other.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 12:00 PM.
