Week 5 Game Predictions: Northwestern Wildcats vs. Penn State
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Northwestern will return home Friday night when the Wildcats take on Penn State in the highly anticipated first game at New Ryan Field. Northwestern enters the matchup with a 2-1 record after falling just short in a 29-23 loss to No. 5 Indiana, while Penn State comes to Evanston at 3-1 after suffering a 24-20 loss to Wisconsin.
The Wildcats will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season while beginning a new era in front of a large crowd. Penn State will also be looking to get back in the win column after allowing a 17-0 lead to slip away against the Badgers.
The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Friday at New Ryan Field and will air nationally on FOX.
Here are our predictions for Friday’s historic matchup.
Alex Kwiatkowski (3-0): Northwestern 30, Penn State 24
I’m taking Northwestern to open the new Ryan Field era with a win.
The Wildcats are starting to look like a team that can truly compete in the Big Ten. Northwestern entered last week as a 23.5-point underdog against No. 5 Indiana but nearly pulled off the upset, eventually falling 29-23 in Bloomington.
What impressed me most was how Northwestern responded after a terrible first half. The Wildcats trailed 12-0 at halftime but refused to go away, scoring 23 points in the second half and putting themselves in position to potentially win the game late.
Aidan Chiles continues to look comfortable in Chip Kelly’s offense, and Northwestern has shown it has multiple weapons in the passing game. Chiles threw for 293 yards and accounted for three touchdowns against Indiana, while Luke Dehnicke and Griffin Wilde combined for 196 receiving yards.
Now, Northwestern gets to return home with plenty of excitement surrounding the program.
Friday will mark the first game at New Ryan Field, and the stadium is sold out. I expect the Wildcats to feed off the energy and come out hot in front of what should be one of the best home atmospheres Northwestern has experienced in years.
Penn State, meanwhile, enters at a low point after blowing a 17-0 lead in a 24-20 loss to Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions will be motivated to bounce back, but I think Northwestern carries its momentum from the second half against Indiana into Friday night.
I expect Chiles and the offense to put points on the board early, while the defense does enough to keep Penn State from finding a consistent rhythm.
Northwestern begins its new era with a statement win.
Prediction: Northwestern 30, Penn State 24
Nick Meyer (2-0): Penn State 27, Northwestern 24
The Wildcats looked like a Big Ten title contender on the road against Indiana last week, while Penn State was upset at home by Wisconsin.
I expect Northwestern to be fired up for the opening game at New Ryan Field, but I also expect the Wildcats to make a few mistakes due to the emotions and jitters surrounding such a historic night.
This should be another close game, but Northwestern is expected to be without tight end Luke Dehnicke, who had a huge performance against Indiana with seven receptions for 140 yards. His absence would take away one of Aidan Chiles’ most productive targets.
This is a winnable game for Northwestern, but I expect Penn State to have the advantage in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Ultimately, that will be enough for the Nittany Lions to escape Evanston with a close win.
Prediction: Penn State 27, Northwestern 24
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