Penn State quarterback Drew Allar - Joe Hermitt/PennLive
On Sept. 21, the Penn State Nittany Lions will face the Kent State Golden Flashes. The Nittany Lions had a rough game against the Bowling Green Falcons in week two, but still pulled out the win. Now, Penn State needs to dominate. Here is what to watch for when the Nittany Lions face the Golden Flashes.
Penn State Offense Can’t Take Foot Off of the Gas Pedal
This is a game that the Nittany Lions are set to dominate. Kent State was completely blown out in week three of the college football season against Tennessee. The final score of that game was 71-0. It is not to say that Penn State must score 70 points, but Tennessee is currently ranked sixth in the AP Top 25 Poll. Penn State must dominate on the offense to move up in the rankings, especially after a disappointing performance against Bowling Green.
The key will get the run game going again. Between Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, they should be able to move down the field at ease. This should be the game they get back to their explosive runs. The offense also cannot be afraid to take shots downfield. It has been working out well for the Nittany Lions. It will be important for Penn State to bring up the scoreboard, especially knowing they also have Beau Pribula who can step in and keep playing when the team looks to rest players.
Clean Game by Drew Allar
Allar is usually a safe quarterback. He can take shots, but he rarely throws an interception. He did in week two against Bowling Green though. It is one thing to take a shot downfield and it gets picked off, but when throwing the ball, Allar needs to be more safe this weekend. This is something he has proven he can do, but Allar must execute it well.
Defense Cleans it Up
Penn State allowed Bowling Green to not only put up 27 points but also allowed them to keep the lead for a while. The defense has to step up. Tennessee did not allow Kent State to score last weekend, Penn State will have to keep them below ten points this weekend. The Nittany Lions defense will likely be able to achieve this goal.
This should be the perfect bounce-back game for Penn State before they begin facing tougher opponents. Kent State’s leading rusher has only rushed for 89 yards this season, according to ESPN. If Penn State scores enough and prevents the run, Kent State will likely have to keep throwing the ball. Kent State quarterback, David Kargman has been sacked six times this year and has thrown three interceptions compared to just two touchdowns. There is no reason that Penn State’s defense is not dominant against the Golden Flashes.
Penn State Chance to Experiment
This is a game that Penn State should and is expected to overpower. It is not a concern, it is a chance for the Nittany Lions to have a big game. Kent State is not a big team and got blown out in week three. Kent State is looking to play these bigger opponents to gain money to build their program.
The Nittany Lions defense should be able to play dominant and stop Kent State quickly on their drives. As for the offense, Allar and company should be able to play around more. There should be explosive plays, and the receivers should get a chance to showcase their abilities more.
The Nittany Lions will begin facing Big Ten opponents in week five. The game against Kent State should be their chance to clean up what happened in week two and help them prepare for their tougher matchups.
