Week 2 Prediction

This week, Penn State returns home from Ireland to play in their long awaited home opener against Akron.  Kickoff is at noon on ABC for those in the Northeast, and ESPN2 for everyone else.  It should be a great game since this will serve as James Franklin's first game in Beaver Stadium (Blue/White doesn't count), the brand new scoreboards will be on display for the first time, and Penn State's undefeated 1994 Rose Bowl-winning team will be honored at halftime.  That team, known for its explosive offense lead by QB Kerry Collins, RB Ki-Jana Carter, WR Bobby Engram, and TE Kyle Brady (all of whom are expected to be in attendance) was one of the most legendary teams in Penn State history.  In fact, some would argue that they should have been declared National Champions that year instead of Nebraska.  Yet, many still view them as unappreciated.  Hopefully the halftime ceremony on Saturday will prove otherwise.

If you don't know much about Akron, don't worry, not many people do.  So here's all you really need to know.  Akron's nickname is the Zips, a reference to the zipper manufacturing industry which used to be prevalent in the region.  Now a days, the area is more well known for its rubber production.  Either way, their mascot is a kangaroo named Zippy for some reason, which strangely does not evoke quickness or zippers.  With that out of the way, let's get to the breakdown!

The Good
Don't let Akron's 41-0 blasting of Howard last week fool you.  Howard is an FCS school and almost any FBS team would have done that.  The truth is, Akron has been one of the worst teams in one of the worst conferences in Division I for quite some time now.  Unlike some other people, I honestly don't expect Hackenberg to set another passing record this week.  Instead, I think it's more likely that we run up the score and he ends up hitting the bench.  Fortunately, that means we'll get to see one of the backups.  Blue chip talent Michael O'Connor was recruited by Bill O'Brien as the heir apparent to Hackenberg, but rumors out of camp were that Trace McSorely was making things more competitive than anticipated.  Sure enough, the latest depth chart has McSorely ahead in the battle for number two.

As for Akron, their QB Kyle Pohl is actually pretty decent, especially given the lack of talent around him.  He might manage to put a few points on the board, either with his arm or his legs, and make things interesting, but he can't be the entire offense if they hope to win.  In the Zips' win over Howard, Pohl was actually the team's leading rusher, and considering how well Penn State's defense stopped the run last week, it could be a very long day for the Zips if they can't find someone other than their QB to carry the rock.  On defense, things aren't much better.  Akron only returns one starter in the secondary and that could spell doom for this year's MACrificial lamb if Hackenberg can get into a rhythm.  As someone on Black Shoe Diaries put it, the worst case scenario for this game is that it becomes a shootout, but even in that unlikely situation the fact remains that Penn State has Christian Hackenberg and Akron does not.

The Bad
To be honest, Akron is not a very good team, so there's not much in the bad column today.  One thing that might be an issue is the jet lag factor.  During a press conference earlier in the week James Franklin assured reporters that the team had no trouble adjusting back after their trip.  Still, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the players appear sluggish and mistake-prone in the first half or so, which may prevent the blowout some are predicting (Penn State is favored by 18 right now).  Other than Pohl, the one player Penn State might want to watch out for is Sa'Von Pittman, a 4-star DE who transferred from Ohio State back when former OSU head coach Jim Tressel was still part of the administration at Akron (Tressel is now the president of Youngstown State).  He's one of the rare, elite talents that ended up at a small school and if he plays to his abilities he could pressure Hack into some uncomfortable throws.

The only other bad thing that very few people seem to be talking about is the weather.  As of right now, weather.com is calling for scattered thunderstorms throughout the day in State College.  Conventional wisdom says that a rainy forecast means that the running game will carry the bulk of the offensive load rather than the passing game.  Unfortunately both of these pass heavy teams weren't very good at running the ball last week.  Still, when the Nittany Lions played Kent State last year in a monsoon-like rain storm, Bill O'Brien surprised many fans by sticking with his aerial attack, almost in defiance of the rain gods.  Will Franklin do the same?  Will it work?  If he does elect to switch over to the run game, can the offensive line open the lanes that were eerily absent last Saturday?  All of these questions remain to be seen.  One thing is for certain, though, no amount of bad weather will dampen the excitement when James Franklin runs through the gates of Beaver Stadium for his first ever game as head coach of Penn State.

The Story
One interesting story to this game is that Akron's head coach is Terry Bowden, son of Bobby Bowden (yes, that Bobby Bowden), and hopefully you all remember what happened the last time Penn State faced off against a Bowden.  Let's just say it ended well for the Lions.

Now, I have a personal connection with Akron as they were the first team on the 2004 football schedule, during my first semester at Penn State exactly 10 years ago.  Being in the Blue Band, we were practicing the "go State, beat Zips" cheer and I remember naively thinking that "zips" was just a filler word we were using to practice the cheer and that the opposing team's mascot would simply be inserted later on.  However, the word never changed and on gameday I was even more confused when I saw that creepy, anthropomorphic kangaroo mascot standing on the other side of the field.  It was a strange day.

The Prediction
Ok, even despite the rain, I think Christian Hackenberg will still have a very good day.  He'll throw for 300 yds and 2 TDs, one to Jesse James and the other to Daesean Hamilton who goes for 100+ yds again and continues his breakout season.  The running game will finally get going against a much weaker defensive front and Zwinak punches in 2 TDs of his own to silence the critics.  On defense, Akron's make shift offensive line can't handle the man-child that is Anthony Zettel, who has another monster game.  But it's the defensive ends, Olaniyan and Barnes who each get a sack.  All that pressure helps Da'Quan Davis get an interception and his solid performance solidifies him as the #2 CB opposite Jordan Lucas.  The game might be close at halftime, but James Franklin rallies the troops and pulls away in the second half.  No need for a clutch Sam Ficken performance this time around as the Nittany Lions roll 38-17.

Make sure you check back here on Sunday for the weekly wrap up.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @PSUOptimus as I once again attempt to live tweet the game.  And as always, go State!