By Tony Carter
Coming off an impressive 48 – 7 win over Kent state, the Alabama Crimson Tide travels this weekend to Happy Valley to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions who enjoyed an equally impressive victory of 41-7 over Indiana St. Penn State tallied up over 250 yards of rushing although against a team that had a less than impressive 8 – 67 record over past several seasons.
The Nittany Lions quarterbacks managed the game ok, but were pressured all afternoon (three sacks and multiple quarterback hurries and knockdowns). Expect the Alabama defense to exploit the shaky Penn State pass blocking situation. This should mean a possible big day Alabama’s end rushers including Courtney Upshaw.
Penn State’s strength arguably is its wide receiver corps (with three returning starters) which should challenge the Alabama defensive secondary with a lot of underneath passes. However, Alabama’s secondary might be one of the best in the nation, and could negate most of the Nittany Lions’ vertical passing due to lack of pocket time for Penn State’s quarterbacks.
The Alabama Crimson Tide’s pass blocking was sufficient against Kent State, but rush blocking must improve against a faster more athletic defensive opponent on Saturday.
Watch for increased playing time for Alabama backup running back Eddie Lacy. Lacy is averaging a staggering 12 yards per touch; he is continuing where he left off from last year’s bowl game against another Big Ten member Michigan State.
Alabama is a 9.5 to 10-point favorite on the road over the Nittany Lions. Alabama leads the series 9 wins to 5 losses. Last year, Alabama defeated Penn State 24-3. The last time Alabama played at Penn State was 1989 when a dramatic field goal block preserved a 17-16 win for the Crimson Tide. Penn State’s Joe Paterno has coached in every meeting between Alabama and his Nittany Lions.
Prediction: Alabama 24 Penn State 17
Video of Alabama’s last trip to Penn State and the dramatic 17-16 win.
9 thoughts on “PREVIEW: Alabama vs. Penn State”
Comments are closed.
It’s hard to call this one. Too many unknowns on the Bama O. If Duron turnss out to be another Julio and McCarron has anothher big day minus the turnovers, this one could get ugly. 28-10.
I want to say 35-13. A.J. is clearly the starter but we can continue the sharade for Philip Sims for one more week. By the end of the game it should be clear.
Lets hope this does not get in the way of BAMA putting up points against a lower quality team.
Dude Penn St is absolutely not a “lower quality” team. They are one of the all time top 10 programs. Just because they aren’t National Championship calibre this year doesn’t mean shyt. About 5 or 6 years ago our situations were exactly reversed. And on another note, I’d really like to know just who the phuck you retarded internet trailer trash think you are questioning the coaching methods of Nick Saban? I guess the old saying has never been more true than now in the age of instant communication – “There’s One Born Every Minute”. And you people are probably too stupid to even know what that means or that it applies to you. RTR!
Crimsonite!!! SHUT THE FUKK UP!
Go phuck yourself dickhead. Guess the truth hurts. Good!
Lol if its your truth it kills everyone your reading comprehension is remedial at best! Everyone gets dumber reading anything you post! You know everything about everything and absolutely shyt about nothing!
Go back to your 3-9 barnturd site inbred. I forgot more than you’ll ever know. Check the archives and read the dumbazz retarded shyt you put on here. Your first grade teacher would slap the shyt out of you and remand you to a remedial class of retarded 5 year olds. As your retarded suck buddy Indiana Vol would say – Do the letters F.O. Mean anything to you?
I think this defense is for real, and I don’t think many teams score two TDs on them this year. It think it may be close until the third quarter, when Bamas depth shows to be superior. 27-10 Bama.