(Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Sean Clifford, RB Keyvone Lee, WR/PR Jahan Dotson, WR Parker Washington, OC Mike Miranda, OT Rasheed Walker, DE Jesse Luketa, DT P.J. Mustipher, LB Ellis Brooks, LB Brandon Smith, CB Joey Porter, SS Jaquan Brisker, PK Jake Pinegar, and PT Jordan Stout.
Key Players Departing:
TE Pat Freiermuth, OC Michal Menet, OG C.J. Thorpe, OT Will Fries, DE Jayson Oweh, DE Shane Simmons, DE Shaka Toney, DT Antonio Shelton, LB Micah Parsons, and CB/KR Lamont Wade.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Landon Tengwall (Olney, Maryland), WR Lonnie White (Malvern, Pennsylvania), CB Kalen King (Detroit, Michigan), S Jaylen Reed (Detroit, Michigan), S Zakee Wheatley (Severn, Maryland), and DE Davon Townley (Minneapolis, Minnesota).
3 Star Recruits: LB Jamari Buddin (Belleville, Michigan), LB Kobe King (Detroit, Michigan), QB Christian Veilleux (Potomac, Maryland), and DE Rodney McGraw (Elkhart, Indiana).
2020 Results:
G01 at Indiana L | OT 35-36
G02 #3 OHIO STATE L 25-38
G03 MARYLAND L 19-35
G04 at Nebraska L 23-30
G05 IOWA L 21-41
G06 at Michigan W 27-17
G07 at Rutgers W 23-7
G08 #18 IOWA W 30-24
G09 MICHIGAN STATE W 39-24
G10 ILLINOIS W 56-21
Team Info:
2020 Record: 4-5 (3rd in Big Ten East)
Home: 2-3
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 4-5
Non-B10: 0-0
Head Coach: James Franklin
Penn State: 60-28
Career: 84-43
Bowls: 5-4
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Sean Clifford (152-251, 1883 yards, 60.6%, 7.5 avg., 16 TD, 9 TD)
Rushing: Keyvone Lee (89 car., 438 yards, 4.9 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Jahan Dotson (52 rec., 884 yards, 17.0 avg., 8 TD)
TDs Scored: Jahan Dotson (9)Sacks: Shaka Toney (5)
Tackles: Ellis Brooks (60)
Tackles For Loss: Brandon Smith (8)
Interceptions: Jaquan Brisker/Keaton Ellis/Brandon Smith (1)
Pass Deflections: Jaquan Brisker (5)
Forced Fumbles: Ellis Brooks (2)
Kick Returns: Parker Washington (5 ret., 100 yards, 20.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jahan Dotson (8 ret., 197 yards, 24.6 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Jake Pinegar (9-13 fg/fga., 69%, 27-28 xp/xpa., 54 pts.)
Punting: Jordan Stout (33 punts, 1371 yards, 41.5 avg., 8 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 14 Sean Clifford (RS SR)
RB: 21 Noah Cain (JR)
WR: 5 Jahan Dotson (SR)
WR: 3 Parker Washington (SO)
WR: 13 KeAndre Lambert-Smith (SO)
TE: 86 Brenton Strange (RS SO)
LT: 53 Rasheed Walker (RS JR)
LG: 75 Des Holmes (RS SR)
OC: 73 Mike Miranda (RS SR)
RG: 70 Juice Scruggs (RS JR)
RT: 79 Caedan Wallace (RS SO)
KR: 1 Jaquan Brisker (SR/TR)
PK: 92 Jake Pinegar (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 46 Nick Tarburton (RS JR)
DT: 97 P.J. Mustipher (SR)
DT: 53 Fred Hansard (RS SR)
DE: 17 Arnold Ebiketie (GR/TR)
LB: 23 Curtis Jacobs (FR)
LB: 13 Ellis Brooks (RS JR)
LB: 12 Brandon Smith (SO)
CB: 5 Tariq Castro-Fields (SR)
CB: 9 Joey Porter (RS SO)
FS: 16 Ji’Ayir Brown (SR/TR)
SS: 1 Jaquan Brisker (SR/TR)
PR: 5 Jahan Dotson (SR)
PT: 98 Jordan Stout (RS SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 at Wisconsin Badgers | Penn State leads the series 10-9. The Nittany Lions are 4-1 since 2011, and they won (22-10) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/11 BALL STATE CARDINALS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 AUBURN TIGERS | The series is tied 1-1. The Nittany Lions lost (9-13) the last meeting between schools in 2002.
09/25 VILLANOVA WILDCATS | Penn State leads the series 4-3-1. The Nittany Lions lost (14-20) the last meeting between schools in 1951.
10/02 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Penn State leads the series 22-2. The Nittany Lions are 8-2 since 2011, and their last series win (34-27) was in 2019.
10/09 at Iowa Hawkeyes | Penn State leads the series s17-13. The Nittany Lions are 6-1 since 2011, and their last series win (17-12) was in 2019.
10/23 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI | Penn State leads the series 20-5. The Nittany Lions are 6-1 since 2011, and their last series loss (14-16) was in 2014.
10/30 at Ohio State Buckeyes | Penn State trails the series 14-22. The Buckeyes are 2-8 since 2011, and their lasts series win (24-21) was in 2016.
11/06 at Maryland Terrapins | Penn State leads the series 40-3-1. The Buckeyes are 5-2 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series win (59-0) was in 2019.
11/13 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Penn State trails the series 10-14. The Nittany Lions are 4-4 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series loss (7-42) was in 2018.
11/20 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHT | Penn State leads the series 29-2. The Nittany Lions are 7-0 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (16-21) was in 1988.
11/27 at Michigan State Spartans | The series is tied 17-17-1. The Nittany Lions are 3-4 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (17-21) was in 2018.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 8-4 (4th in Big Ten East)
gridironpredictions.net 