Penn State football starts the season strong
Penn State football is back and the Nittany Lions are primed for another amazing season atop College Football. Coming into the season ranked number six, Penn State looks to again contend for a CFB Playoff spot. With a returning Heisman candidate in Saquon Barkley, most of the defense, and star QB Trace McSorley returning to the gridiron, Penn State has not looked this good for a long time. If Week 1 is any indication, Penn State looks to be well on their way to being atop the CFB rankings for quite some time.
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The Lions got out to a great start in the 2017 season by dominating the Akron Zips 52-0. Saquon Barkley ran all over the defense all day long, gaining 172 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. McSorley added three TDs on 348 total yards (passing and rushing). Fan-favorite tight end Mike Gesicki was on the receiving end of both of McSorley’s passing TDs as he caught six passes total. Linebacker U was in full force on Saturday, as the Nittany Lion defense held Akron to an astonishing 159 yards of total offense and 12 first downs.
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This game was virtually over right after it started. The Lions got out to a quick 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. McSorley, Barkley, and the rest of the offense continued to pour it on throughout the game, adding three more TDs in the second quarter, the last being a terrific 30 yard run from Barkley. As mentioned, the defense held Akron scoreless, but the Lions still added 17 more points in the second half to seal the deal.
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Now, Penn State must prepare for Pittsburgh. The Lions will be looking to avenge last year’s 42-39 loss to Pitt, as that loss likely cost them a CFB Playoff spot, even though the loss was early in the year. Linebacker U will have to contend with Senior QB Max Browne and a stellar Pitt offense who has Junior WR Quadree Henderson and Junior RB Qadree Ollison. At the same time, the Pitt defense will have to contend with what many consider to be the best offense in College Football. As it stands, Penn State is a three-touchdown favorite to win this matchup at Beaver Stadium.