Penn State got a huge gift from Michigan when the Wolverines upset Ohio State, giving the Nittany Lions a path into the Big Ten title game against No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks are favored by less than a touchdown.
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State
Penn State has a chance to secure a bye into the quarterfinals and perhaps even the top overall seed if it can beat Oregon. This is going to be a big test for Penn State and coach James Franklin to determine how the rest of the postseason might go. As good as Penn State’s record is, as good as the roster looks, as promising as everything is for the program at the moment, it still has to defeat the big-game narrative. At this point, it is not exactly a secret that Franklin has struggled against elite teams at Penn State. He enters Saturday’s game 4-17 against top-10 teams and 13-27 against any ranked team.
Oregon is not only ranked, but it is also the top-ranked team in the country. Winning that game would help change the narrative and raise expectations. Losing it would only further the narrative and intensify the pressure when the actual playoffs start.
The success or failure for Penn State in this game might come down to whether or not its offensive line can slow down Oregon’s elite pass rush and give quarterback Drew Allar time to throw. Penn State’s offensive line has struggled against better pass-rushing teams this season, and few teams in the country have a defensive line as good as the Ducks. The one opponent that was even close to that level was Ohio State, which was able to cause havoc for Allar all day.
Oregon vs. Penn State odds
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(Photo of Dillon Gabriel: Tom Hauck / Getty Images)
