early match ups in 2016

[blion72]

we are definitely on the upswing, but coming off a real hole in terms of player depth. 2016 still feels like a tough year. early games are probably going to be important for team mo, and the announcers talked about some of them.

how do you guys feel about the first 4-5 games out of the block? how do you think we match up?

Kent State home

Pitt away

Temple home

UMich away

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

we are definitely on the upswing, but coming off a real hole in terms of player depth. 2016 still feels like a tough year. early games are probably going to be important for team mo, and the announcers talked about some of them.

how do you guys feel about the first 4-5 games out of the block? how do you think we match up?

Kent State home -

Pitt away -

Temple home -

UMich away -

Refer to my emoticon responses above...

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Home Team - Away Team
48-14
14-48
48-14
14-48
21Guns told me this as long as Franklin plays an all Freshman OL. So, after talking to CJF about it...and he being all in....I say book it. Lol

 

[21Guns]

Home Team - Away Team
48-14
14-48
48-14
14-48
21Guns told me this as long as Franklin plays an all Freshman OL. So, after talking to CJF about it...and he being all in....I say book it. Lol

All that space in your head I'm taking up, haha, and rent free! Alright!

 

[21Guns]

Kent State: Should be a win, and should not be too close.

Pitt: Should be a very, very close game that could go either way.

Temple: Should be a close game, but there is zero excuse for not beating a team that loses the heart of it's defense, and half of it's offense with the exception of their quarterback, who is a good player but not an All American.

Michigan: Might be closer than anyone thinks, kickoff will be 3:30 at the latest, and this game is not circled on Michigans' calendar.

With some luck, 3-1, but probably 2-2. It's the next four that I think will define this team. The best case scenario for this team is 8-4, and if this team finds it's identity, it's possible.

 

[BBG65]

I agree that 8-4 is likely, but not that it is the best case scenario. That has to be a little higher. I just hope we don't see the worst case scenario.

 

[dawgduice]

Truthfully, I have no idea until the Pitt game. We will win the Kent State game. If we beat Pitt and the OL plays OK we will beat Temple. As for Michigan, last year the OL was so bad we had little chance.
For me it is ALL about the OL !!!!

 

[21Guns]

I agree that 8-4 is likely, but not that it is the best case scenario. That has to be a little higher. I just hope we don't see the worst case scenario.

The good news?

We don't play Northwestern.

 

[cyrizzle]

Best case scenario: 11-1
Worst case scenario: 7-5

 

[PennStateNate]

Kent State, Temple are wins

Michigan is a loss

Pitt is a toss up.. they will be pumped up. I just hope its not Temple 2015.

 

[blion72]

Kent State, Temple are wins

Michigan is a loss

Pitt is a toss up.. they will be pumped up. I just hope its not Temple 2015.

on PA sports network, Jed and co were talking about Pitt this year. they said strong OL with strong RB. passing game is marginal. DEF is not proven but that is the coaching strength. there was no talk re their STs.

Game could come down to our new DL vs the Pitt OL. if we were playing with our 2015 DL - we would stuff them. obviously this is much bigger to Pitt - and they have the good fortune getting this games as we are rebuilding the overall program.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

on PA sports network, Jed and co were talking about Pitt this year. they said strong OL with strong RB. passing game is marginal. DEF is not proven but that is the coaching strength. there was no talk re their STs.

Game could come down to our new DL vs the Pitt OL. if we were playing with our 2015 DL - we would stuff them. obviously this is much bigger to Pitt - and they have the good fortune getting this games as we are rebuilding the overall program.

48-14

 

[LemonEars]

Three easy wins against patsies going into the Michigan game. Not sure how we will do against Michigan but we easily start 3-0.

 

[21Guns]

on PA sports network, Jed and co were talking about Pitt this year. they said strong OL with strong RB. passing game is marginal. DEF is not proven but that is the coaching strength. there was no talk re their STs.

Game could come down to our new DL vs the Pitt OL. if we were playing with our 2015 DL - we would stuff them. obviously this is much bigger to Pitt - and they have the good fortune getting this games as we are rebuilding the overall program.

Our DL is "new" in terms of playing time, but are they really "new"?

White played a lot last year.
Schwan played in every game.
Sickels was a starter.
Brown played in every game.
Chavis is a JUCO with experience.
Cothren played in every game.
Cothran played in nearly every game.

The only "new" guy I see, might be one of our best, in Givens.

 

[JoeBatters1]

If anyone is questioning beating Temple then you can stop right there and forget the season. Same thing pretty much goes for Pitt as well. Franklin's future is riding on the success or failure of the 2016 season to a greater extent than I think people realize.

 

[21Guns]

If anyone is questioning beating Temple then you can stop right there and forget the season. Same thing pretty much goes for Pitt as well. Franklin's future is riding on the 2016 to a greater extent than I think people realize.

They return their quarterback and their running back, little of their O line, half their receivers, and less than half of their defense including their best 5 players. They had the best season in their entire history last year and won at least 3 or 4 games they could have lost, and they beat us without Saquon Barkley, who Franklin didn't play, and without Nyeem Wartman-White, and on their home field, in a game in which we handed them two touchdowns, one of a near pick six by Hack. We gave up 10 sacks, half of which were handed to them by a JUCO left tackle who had no business on the field.

 

[psu4343]

we are definitely on the upswing, but coming off a real hole in terms of player depth. 2016 still feels like a tough year. early games are probably going to be important for team mo, and the announcers talked about some of them.

how do you guys feel about the first 4-5 games out of the block? how do you think we match up?

Kent State home

Pitt away

Temple home

UMich away

Should be 3-1 to me. Kent St and Temple should be auto wins and Pitt is not really an away game for us. Should be somewhat even but I think we win it. UM probable loss.

 

[TN Lion]

3-1

 

[scueng77]

1-3.

 

[21Guns]

1-3.

We lose to Temple and we're finishing no better than 5-7.

Temple is not half the team they were last year and anyone saying different doesn't follow football.

 

[danvillenit]

We really need to start 3-0 . A loss to any of those teams would really start the negative tone from fans and recruiting. I think we are 3-0, possibly with big wins.

At Michigan a loss so 3-1

 

[SR108]

we are definitely on the upswing, but coming off a real hole in terms of player depth. 2016 still feels like a tough year. early games are probably going to be important for team mo, and the announcers talked about some of them.

how do you guys feel about the first 4-5 games out of the block? how do you think we match up?

Kent State home

Pitt away

Temple home

UMich away

3-1 would be great, although 2 -2 would not be a complete disaster.

 

[SR108]

We really need to start 3-0 . A loss to any of those teams would really start the negative tone from fans and recruiting. I think we are 3-0, possibly with big wins.

At Michigan a loss so 3-1

Neither temple or Pitt is a gimme at this point, although both are winnable.

 

[BBrown]

on PA sports network, Jed and co were talking about Pitt this year. they said strong OL with strong RB. passing game is marginal. DEF is not proven but that is the coaching strength. there was no talk re their STs.

thats interesting because I thought the lost some of their OLine?
Connor is an awesome RB but I'm not sure he will be ready that soon and if he is I would wonder about his
conditioning. That being said I hope is back at full strength.

 

[SR108]

They return their quarterback and their running back, little of their O line, half their receivers, and less than half of their defense including their best 5 players. They had the best season in their entire history last year and won at least 3 or 4 games they could have lost, and they beat us without Saquon Barkley, who Franklin didn't play, and without Nyeem Wartman-White, and on their home field, in a game in which we handed them two touchdowns, one of a near pick six by Hack. We gave up 10 sacks, half of which were handed to them by a JUCO left tackle who had no business on the field.

I agree, it will not be a blow out, but if we don't beat Temple this year at home, Franklin is in trouble. Hot seat from the fans, and a recruiting nightmare.

 

[bdgan]

we are definitely on the upswing, but coming off a real hole in terms of player depth. 2016 still feels like a tough year. early games are probably going to be important for team mo, and the announcers talked about some of them.

how do you guys feel about the first 4-5 games out of the block? how do you think we match up?

Kent State home

Pitt away

Temple home

UMich away

This year is all about the Pitt game IMO. PSU has not recruited as well as the top teams (OSU, Mich, MSU) but they have recruited as well as their remaining opponents.

• Kent State s/b easy win
• Pitt will be difficult. Their OL against our inexperienced DTs.
• Temple graduated a lot of kids. PSU should win by 20 at home.
• Michigan will be very difficult to beat on the road. They might have the best defense in the conference and they have a new rent a QB from Houston to replace Ruddock.
• Minnesota should be an easy win at home. They don't have nearly the talent and their coaching staff went through more changes than PSU.

Pitt is pivotal. A 4-1 start would be good. 3-2 not so good, especially with OSU, Iowa, and MSU in the back half of the schedule. A win over Pitt could give us an 8-4 season with a chance to get to 9 wins with the bowl game. Anything less will be disappointing.

Recruiting rankings
2013: PSU 43rd, Pitt 35th
2014: PSU 24th, Pitt 44th
2015: PSU 15th, Pitt 66th
2016: PSU 22nd, Pitt 30th