Big Ten Football: Predicting The East Division

3. Penn State

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Am I high? On James Franklin’s ability to coach, yes I am. We’ve seen the kind of results a team with a good coach can muster (Pat Fitzgerald at Northwestern). Now we’re going to see what a potentially very good coach with talent can do.

Penn State has one of the conference’s best quarterbacks in Christian Hackenburg (seriously, is that not a perfect name for a Pennsylvania QB?). Zack Zwinak returns to pummel defensive fronts and tight end Jesse James gives Hackenburg a sizable threat at 6’7″ 257 pounds.

The unknowns are whether or not young receivers such as Chris Godwin and Saeed Blacknall can step up, let alone if a replacement can be found for senior guard Miles Dieffenbach. He tore his ACL during spring drills, one of the worst things that can happen, let alone during the spring.

While experienced depth isn’t there today, to take Penn State likely because of lack of reps would be a big mistake. It’s that reason that I see them falling to only Ohio State and Michigan State.

Final Record: 9-4 (6-2)