Penn State football opens as colossal favorites over Kent State

James Franklin and Penn State football are set to return to action Saturday following the first of two bye weeks this season. Although they only have eight quarters of play under their belts, Las Vegas isn’t expecting there to be any rust from the Nittany Lions when they take the field against Kent State.

Penn State starts the week as a massive 49-point favorite over the Golden Flashes, according to the Action Network. The oddsmakers expect most of the scoring to come from the Nittany Lions’ side, with the total set at 54.5.

Kent State is off to a difficult start in 2024. The Golden Flashes’ offense, co-coordinated by ex-Penn State football assistant coach Matt Limegrover, ranks in the bottom ten nationally in passing, rushing, and scoring. Kent State is dead last in the country in total offense, averaging 201.3 yards per game.

The situation isn’t much better defensively. Outside of passing yards allowed, where the Golden Flashes rank No. 122, Kent State is last in rushing, scoring, and total defense out of 133 FBS programs.

Penn State football looking for different results this weekend

Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions come into the week ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll, falling two spots during the off week. Penn State was pushed to the limit the last time it took the field, a come-from-behind 34-27 win over Bowling Green.

This time out, James Franklin is looking for a much different result. 

“We got to win,” Franklin said following practice last Tuesday. “We got to win. Having that conversation or talking that way is just not something that we necessarily do. I’m more comfortable talking about past games than future games.

“But yeah, we would love to play really well [next game], get the rep count and the ball distribution the way we’d like it to be, and then get other guys on the field and get our guys out. We were not able to do that this past Saturday.”

Saturday’s game will kick off at 3:30 on the Big Ten Network.

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