Michigan Football: 3 Reasons Wolverines Beat Penn State
By Josh LaFond
In a matchup of top 10 teams, can Michigan football prove its mettle and capture its first statement win of 2022?
Penn State sits 5-0, with revenge on the mind.
Last year’s contest had the makings of a classic Nittany Lion late November upset, but Michigan football had other plans winning 21-17 thanks to a 47-yard touchdown from Cade McNamara to Erick All late in the fourth quarter.
Penn State is better this year than last, though, and is fairly healthy for the first time this season.
Led by redshirt senior+ sixth-year quarterback, Sean Clifford, the Nittany Lions are more of a balanced attack than in previous years in which the offense was much more reliant on Clifford’s legs and arm talent. True freshman running back Nick Singleton looks every bit the part of a future superstar and the best PSU running back since Saquon Barkley.
Singleton is averaging 92.6 yards per game, 7.3 yards per attempt, and already through five weeks, has five touchdowns thus far, with huge games against Purdue and Auburn this year, combining for 303 yards in those games.
After losing long-time defensive coordinator Brent Pry (current Virginia Tech head coach), the Penn State defense under Manny Diaz has a different feel than in years past.
Diaz runs an aggressive defense that values aggression and reckless abandonment over a more conservative “bend but don’t break policy”. That aggression can make a ton of plays, but also can be susceptible to the big play.
This is by far Michigan’s biggest test to date and gives them an opportunity for their first statement win thus far this season.
Why will Michigan football win this game?
Let’s discuss our reasons why they will.