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NU @ PSU Prediction Thread

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rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,805
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Northwestern comes off a thorough win against UL-Monroe last week, which was turnover-free and featured successful passing and balanced running on offense. The defense was on its heels early, but settled in to shut out the Warhawks after their initial drive.

This week they face a Penn State team still looking for its first B1G win. The explosive UCLA offense scored 42 against them last week. NU had held that same unit to 1/3 as many points the week before. The plucky Nittany Lions made the game competitive in the second half.

Although the Lions are struggling, they might catch the Cats this weekend.

Jonathan Frakes 28
Jeri Ryan 24
 
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F

Fanaticat98

Senior
May 29, 2001
9,076
692
113
Similar final score to Oregon game but we’re competitive in the first half before they wake up.

34-17
 
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JoeWildcat

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2001
2,722
132
46
Franklin is going to try to pour it on. Cats stay close for a while, but talent and depth will be too much.

PSU. 34
NU. 14
 
E

eastbaycat99

Sophomore
Mar 7, 2009
2,523
182
48
What a difference a week makes. Franklin’s team was poised, in the 2nd OT v. Oregon to finally beat a highly ranked team and move up to second in the polls. They blow it and get shocked by UCLA, moving James from hero to hot seat.

I saw a film breakdown of their UCLA debacle that placed a lot of blame on poor gap discipline and defensive communication. How does he run his practices this week? Does he go back to basics? Throw a tantrum? Pretend everything is normal? I think a really good question is how much he focuses on the Cats versus how much he focuses on the clear problems in last week’s game.

One thing for sure is that PSU is going to come out amped and on edge.

The Cats, on the other hand, have very little pressure on them. Against Oregon, they started well but shot themselves in the foot by forcing the play. I hope this week the game plan and prep are really conservative: run the ball inside, use screens and delays to take advantage of the probable PSU aggressiveness, and play the base defense. The Cats have a chance if they avoid mistakes and make a hyper amped PSU make long drives for scores.

I really think this game will either be a 6 TD PSU blowout or come down to the last possession.

I’m betting the latter, but NU falls just short.

PSU 24
NU 21
 
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No Chores

Senior
Jul 2, 2006
6,775
569
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eastbaycat99 said:
What a difference a week makes. Franklin’s team was poised, in the 2nd OT v. Oregon to finally beat a highly ranked team and move up to second in the polls. They blow it and get shocked by UCLA, moving James from hero to hot seat.

I saw a film breakdown of their UCLA debacle that placed a lot of blame on poor gap discipline and defensive communication. How does he run his practices this week? Does he go back to basics? Throw a tantrum? Pretend everything is normal? I think a really good question is how much he focuses on the Cats versus how much he focuses on the clear problems in last week’s game.

One thing for sure is that PSU is going to come out amped and on edge.

The Cats, on the other hand, have very little pressure on them. Against Oregon, they started well but shot themselves in the foot by forcing the play. I hope this week the game plan and prep are really conservative: run the ball inside, use screens and delays to take advantage of the probable PSU aggressiveness, and play the base defense. The Cats have a chance if they avoid mistakes and make a hyper amped PSU make long drives for scores.

I really think this game will either be a 6 TD PSU blowout or come down to the last possession.

I’m betting the latter, but NU falls just short.

PSU 24
NU 21
Click to expand...
This is an excellent analysis in my opinion. If Franklin loses to us at PSU, the fan base will be apoplectic, so that's the way I'm going, 'Cats 24 Nits 20.
 
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Fanaticat98

Senior
May 29, 2001
9,076
692
113
rmndcat said:
Maybe closer if we avoid turnovers this time.
Click to expand...
True but Oregon also called off the dogs for the 4th quarter. If PSU is up, Franklin is going to try to pour it on to compensate margin of victory for last week’s bad loss.

We did have multiple drives in the 5, 6, 7 minute range against Oregon which was very effective in reducing their scoring opportunities. If we can do that again, AND convert TDs on those drives, AND avoid turnovers, we have a shot.
 
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rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,805
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stpaulcat said:
That would be Ben Franklin's team, who founded Penn (Franklin Field), from which I graduated. William Penn founded the Province of Pennsylvania. He is, however often associated with Philadelphia.
Click to expand...
My first wife's father graduated from Penn, but was an English professor at Susquehanna University in central Pennsylvania. His Penn sweatshirt inevitably drew comments from townies in Selinsgrove saying that it was a weird looking Penn State logo.
 
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WestCoastWildcat

Junior
May 29, 2001
7,249
278
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I hope we hang tough with PSU. We’ve played well and offense has played better last few games PSU will be out for blood but their
need to win big could backfire if we can keep
It close.

Scenario 1-PSU wins as expected but Cats beat the spread (a pyrric victory. Franklin keeps his job for another week.

Franks 34
Cats 17

Scenario 2- Franklin/PSU choke again and Franklin is on the way out.

NU 24
Franks 20
 
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TheC

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,231
1,328
62
Unfortunately, one big difference between us and UCLA is a very mobile quarterback. In the parts of that UCLA-PSU game I saw, Iamaleva was killing them on broken plays by scrambling all over them. Stone ran some against LMU, but he doesn't have anywhere near the quickness or speed to do it against PSU. I think our offense is going to struggle and our D is going to get worn down. But then, I'm rather pessimistic when it comes to sports. I root for a lot of bad teams!

Disgrace State 38
NU 10
 
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LACatFan

LACatFan

Freshman
May 29, 2001
2,842
96
48
I agree with TheC. NU's strengths play directly to State Penn's strengths.

That said, if Lujan can come up with the right game plan (and make adjustments when needed), the OL stays consistent and opens holes for Komolafe, Himon and Reeder, WR's not named Wilde (e.g. Eligon and Wagner) can get separation as they did vs. LA-Monroe, and Stone doesn't revert to Bad Decision QB1, then I can see the Cats keeping it a tight game vs. the Lions. That's a lot of "if's", though.

Unfortunately, I see this one getting away from NU. Ped State comes out pissed and they don't take the foot off the gas.

"Hot Wives" Franklins - 45
Classy Brauns - 13
 
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GECat2

Sophomore
Oct 8, 2012
1,928
174
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Franklin will do everything in his power to run up the score. I truly believe he wants to hang 70 on NU to temporarily take the heat off of him. I hope we can keep it close.
 
R

rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,805
234
63
rmndcat said:
Northwestern comes off a thorough win against UL-Monroe last week, which was turnover-free and featured successful passing and balanced running on offense. The defense was on its heels early, but settled in to shut out the Warhawks after their initial drive.

This week they face a Penn State team still looking for its first B1G win. The explosive UCLA offense scored 42 against them last week. NU had held that same unit to 1/3 as many points the week before. The plucky Nittany Lions made the game competitive in the second half.

Although the Lions are struggling, they might catch the Cats this weekend.

Jonathan Frakes 28
Jeri Ryan 24
Click to expand...
Gave the Lions too much credit. They weren't able to catch the Cats after all. It was close in the 20s, though.
 
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WestCoastWildcat

Junior
May 29, 2001
7,249
278
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WestCoastWildcat said:
I hope we hang tough with PSU. We’ve played well and offense has played better last few games PSU will be out for blood but their
need to win big could backfire if we can keep
It close.

Scenario 1-PSU wins as expected but Cats beat the spread (a pyrric victory. Franklin keeps his job for another week.

Franks 34
Cats 17

Scenario 2- Franklin/PSU choke again and Franklin is on the way out.

NU 24
Franks 20
Click to expand...
I wasn’t too far off the score in my optimistic scenario. The Cats were able to keep the game close with solid play on both sides and PSU just did not look like a highly ranked team. Always a delight to defeat Franklin anytime. Go Cats!
 
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rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,805
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WestCoastWildcat said:
I wasn’t too far off the score in my optimistic scenario. The Cats were able to keep the game close with solid play on both sides and PSU just did not look like a highly ranked team. Always a delight to defeat Franklin anytime. Go Cats!
Click to expand...
Scenario B was s very good call.
 
H

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,867
1,325
113
LACatFan said:
I agree with TheC. NU's strengths play directly to State Penn's strengths.

That said, if Lujan can come up with the right game plan (and make adjustments when needed), the OL stays consistent and opens holes for Komolafe, Himon and Reeder, WR's not named Wilde (e.g. Eligon and Wagner) can get separation as they did vs. LA-Monroe, and Stone doesn't revert to Bad Decision QB1, then I can see the Cats keeping it a tight game vs. the Lions. That's a lot of "if's", though.

Unfortunately, I see this one getting away from NU. Ped State comes out pissed and they don't take the foot off the gas.

"Hot Wives" Franklins - 45
Classy Brauns - 13
Click to expand...
Maybe in his next gig (assuming he gets another shot) he should concentrate less on his assistant's wives and more on if they actually know their s**t
 
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