The Wisconsin No.12 vs Penn State No.19 game on Saturday could present a viewing dilemma for college football fans deciding which games to watch in a busy Week 1 schedule. On the one hand, everyone loves a Big Ten Conference game between the top 20 teams. These are two of the best programs in the Big Ten and both have conference title aspirations. While there aren’t any must-see games in the first week of a season, this one certainly has that feel.
But are we sure we want these kinds of games on the first weekend? Perhaps it would be better to play games of this caliber later in the season when the two teams have come together. That said, I’m still going to watch, and I’m still excited to start my Saturday with this one, so I’ll get over it.
Speaking of which, Wisconsin would probably like to overcome their four-game losing streak against the Nittany Lions. Wisconsin hasn’t beaten Penn State since a 45-7 victory in 2011. That game was so long ago that Bret Bielema – now in Illinois – was coaching in Wisconsin, and his quarterback was Russell Wilson. Oh, and Penn State was coached by Joe Paterno. The last game was a 22-10 win for Penn State at Beaver Stadium in 2018, and the Nittany Lions have a slight advantage in the all-time series at 10-9.
Penn State vs Wisconsin: what to know
Bounce: Last season was Penn State’s worst since 2004. The Nittany Lions lost their first five games of the 2020 season before ending with four straight wins. The 4-5 record was the first time Penn State has finished below 0.500 since it was 4-7 in 2004. It was at the end of a difficult streak for Penn State when it had four seasons. losses in five years. The good news? The Lions went 11-1 in 2005 and reached the Orange Bowl, finishing the season third. I’m sure Nittany Lions fans would love to be in the top four again this year.
Penn State has a new offensive coordinator … again. Mike Yurcich replaces Kirk Ciarrocca, who came to Penn State from Minnesota last year in hopes of reinvigorating the offense. It didn’t work out that way as Penn State finished 54th in the nation with 29.8 points per game. Now Yurcich becomes Penn State’s second OC in as many years. With stops in Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Texas, Yurcich is finally hoping to put a jolt into the Nittany Lions’ offense.
Wisconsin have won 25 straight home opener: It’s a streak tied with Oklahoma State for the second longest in the country, behind Florida’s 31-game streak. Of course, Penn State is better than most home opponents. In fact, Wisconsin’s last home loss was in 1995 against another ranked team: the No.14 Colorado. The final score of this match was 43-7.
Graham Mertz hopes to bounce back from a poor finish: The Badgers’ QB set the world on fire in his first college start, completing 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-7 win over Illinois to start 2020. The following week in Michigan, he pitched for 127 yards and two. affected. But then things got a little tougher as Mertz threw just two touchdowns in his last five games against five interceptions. He’s still a talented player, however, and Wisconsin believe a regular pre-season offseason will make him look more like the player we saw in early 2020.
How to watch Penn State vs. Wisconsin live
Dated: Saturday September 4 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Site: Camp Randall Stadium – Madison, Wisconsin
TV: Fox | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Penn State vs Wisconsin Prediction, Pick
Featured Game | Wisconsin Badgers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
It’s not easy to get a good read on this game, and I think bettors have this one pretty much lined up. I’m leaning towards Wisconsin simply because the home teams should have a significant advantage early in the season as the visitors get used to playing in front of the fans again. The atmosphere at Camp Randall is already boisterous and it might take Penn State a little longer to adjust in the first game back. Prediction: Wisconsin (-5.5)
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