Officially Purdue Week and the Nittany Lions Open as Big Favorites Against Boilermakers

These Purdue Boilermakers are not the bunch that we have become used to over the past couple of seasons. The Boilermakers have turned the corner as a program and are absolutely trending at the right direction, even with a 3-4 record.

The opposite is true for the Penn State Nittany Lions. They couldn't possibly be trending in more of a negative way this year which is equal parts disappointing and concerning for both the short and long-term outlook for the team. 

Those are two major conversations that require much deeper thought, but for now, are you comfortable laying 7.5 points in favor of the Nittany Lions on Saturday?

Penn State is struggling in all phases on both sides of the ball. They can't run the football; they have had horrible quarterback play, their receivers are below average, and the offensive line is up and down at best. 

On defense, they force turnovers for sure, but they don't generate pressure, they give up big plays, and they can very easily get beat. 

At this point, the Nittany Lions do absolutely nothing well, but they are major favorites for next week. Their work, compared to what Purdue does well, is a clash of styles.

The biggest discrepancy in teams is the simple fact that Purdue can score. The Boilermakers average 31.3 points per game, and that is a major problem for the Nittany Lions. 

If the Boilermakers are able to get to 24 points, the Nittany Lions are going to be in big time trouble. In their four Big Ten games, Penn State has not scored over 23 points, which is a major problem. 

The Boilermakers on the other hand, haven't scored less than 24 points against all of their opponents not named Notre Dame.

It will be a contrast in styles on Saturday afternoon, and the Nittany Lions absolutely cannot get into chase mode. The way that Purdue competes and potentially wins this football game is to keep the doubt alive for the Nittany Lions. If they are able to hang around, Penn State will break.

For the Nittany Lions, they need to learn how to get a lead and play with the lead. They haven't done it yet this season, but Saturday would be a really good time to learn how. 

Penn State shouldn't be 7.5 favorites on anyone at this point in their season. I wouldn't be willing to lay those points; it just feels like too much. Penn State needs to learn how to win in the conference, regardless of how they get it done.