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Dan: Penn State 38 - Army 6
The easy win we should have gotten against Buffalo was simply deferred to this week.
Tim: Penn State 402 - Army 0
Saquon Barkley will be held to under 400 yards rushing.
Eli: Penn State 56 - Army 17
Army is an experienced team. A bad team, but an experienced team. Like all triple option offenses, Penn State will have some trouble adjusting at first (and Army will certainly get their yards on the ground), but Penn State's defense will adjust after the first quarter, and all they will gain is yards. Hackenberg and the gang should have a field day against a defense that allowed 37 to Fordham, and another 36 to Eastern Michigan.
Matt: Penn State 24 - Army 0
This could be the quickest game ever played in Beaver Stadium, which will likely be of some relief to the fans who brave the rainy weather. Army does not throw the ball, and Penn State will not throw the ball with the wet conditions. I doubt we see Saquon Barkley, and there is no chance Akeel Lynch plays, but the trio of Mark Allen, Nick Scott, and perhaps Jonathan Thomas, will be tasked with carrying the running game/offense.
Army will play hard, and surely the PSU defense will be tired of cut blocks by halftime, but the Lions are too talented, and too well coached on defense for the triple option attack to cause too much worry.
Nick: Penn State 41 - Army 10
Simply put, this is a game that Penn State has no business not winning big. Army got their first win of the season over Eastern Michigan last week, but fell to New York's one true team, Fordham, UConn and Wake Forest to start the year. Army just isn't a very good football team, despite their experience. The triple option attack is enough to beat some teams on their schedule, but not one with a defense like Penn State's. San Diego State and Temple have proven that it's not impossible to break off big runs against Shoop's defense this year, but to expect to win on plays like that alone is just unrealistic. And unfortunately for Army, they average under 100 yards per game through the air.
On the other side of the ball, this could be the first time we see Penn State's offense put together a complete performance that balances running and passing the football effectively. Donovan is far from out of the woods of criticism as a coordinator, but if he can show that he can use a strong running game to open things up for Hackenberg and let him air it out, the Nittany Lions could be on to something. I think this one's over by halftime for once.
Chad: Penn State 31 - Army 17
I can't be the only one who thinks if the troops wanted to they could put together a football team and dominate the NFL.
— Young Conservatives (@youngcons) February 3, 2014
Sorry, "Young Conservatives," you didn't say anything about college football.
Barkley enjoys a rainy day on the sidelines watching Mark Allen and Nick Scott punish the Black Knights' defense while Carl Nassib adds to his NCAA-leading sack tally.
Devon: Penn State 31 - Army 10
Army probably isn't a very good team, though that type of opponent hasn't stopped Penn State's offense from sporadic fits of incompetence. A group as (presumably) disciplined and smart as Army ought to be able to bring pressure from all over to get at Christian Hackenberg, and if Saquon Barkley isn't back to do Saquon Barkley things, Saturday is going to take on a distinct #fireJohnDonovan vibe--especially given the typical difficulties of playing in inclement weather. The good news is that Bob Shoop's defense won't have any trouble against a mediocre triple-option look--the injuries(?) to Jordan Lucas and Marcus Allen won't hurt nearly as much without a vertical threat to worry about (though, it must be said, both are terrific in run support as well). This probably feels a lot like last week, where we wonder how in the hell Penn State hasn't pulled away before they inevitably do, and a lopsided final score overshadows a lot of frustration.
Ben: Penn State Many - Army Few
The Black Knights of the Hudson ride into Happy Valley. I'd cheer for them if an Army victory wouldn't reduce State College to ashes. Since it would, I can't.
Go Army. Beat Navy. But, not Penn State.
Adam: Penn State 56 - Army 17
Bill: Penn State 45 - Army 10
Cari: Penn State 41 - Army 17
Jared: Penn State 31 - Army 10