Penn State finishes its first three games with a resounding victory over the Buffalo Bulls
The Penn State Nittany Lions took care of business with ease on Saturday against the Buffalo Bulls and, with that, put an end to one of the easiest starts to the season that they could have.
The Nittany Lions hammered Marshall in week one; they beat up on Temple in week two, and they pounded the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday by a final score of 55-13. With that comes the close of Matt Campbell's first quarter as the Nittany Lions coach, and he has passed all of the tests so far.
His team has looked prepared; they have executed, they have played clean, and they have shown a willingness to compete. Now, the real test begins as Big Ten play is on their doorstep.
Penn State opens its conference play with a really big game for both programs. They start against the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday afternoon, which is a game that both teams feel that they absolutely need to win.
It is really hard to compete at the top of the Big Ten conference for both of these two teams, but Saturday, they are playing at the same level with two teams that have the same investment level and the same pressure to win.
For the Badgers, Luke Fickell has to win and has to win right away. This is a game that could be one that extends Fickell's life as the Wisconsin coach, just as it could put him in the coffin as the head coach. It could go one of two ways.
For Campbell, this becomes his second major test as the new coach of the Nittany Lions. He passed the first one, which was just winning football games. However, just as quickly as the fanbase rallied around him, they can turn on him just as quickly if his group can't compete at this level of the game.
The Nittany Lions have shown that not only are they prepared, but they have some athletes on the team that they can lean on. Quarterback Rocco Becht has been smooth as the Nittany Lions' starter, and they have found something in wide receiver Koby Howard.
Howard, statistically, has been the best wide receiver in the Big Ten to this point. Yes, that includes Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State. Howard has been fantastic, and the Nittany Lions run game has shown to be competitive and explosive.
The test is on for the Nittany Lions as Big Ten play kicks off next Saturday. Penn State cleared its first hurdle; now the next one gets a little tougher.
