25 games that will shape the 2019 College Football Playoff
Week 7: Michigan State at Penn State
Mark Dantonio’s Spartans won 10 games in 2017 including a win over Penn State in East Lansing. Coming back in 2018, Penn State has better playoff odds and better odds to win the Big Ten. The Spartans return 19 of 22 starters from last year including the following:
- Starting quarterback BrianLewerke who threw for 2,700 yards a sophomore in 2017
- Senior running back L.J. Scott who gained 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage in 2016 and 2017
- All five of the 2017 leaders in receiving yards
- Four of five starters from the 2017 offensive line
- Nine starters and four leading tacklers from a defense that ranked top-10 nationally in 2017
Penn State, on the other hand, brings back Trace McSorley but enters 2018 having to replace key players from an 11-win season including:
- Saquon Barkley (no further explanation needed)
- DaeSean Hamilton (Penn State’s all-time leading receiver)
- Jason Cabinda (a three-year starter at linebacker who led the team with 90 tackles in 2017)
- Starting safeties Marcus Allen and Troy Apke ( second and fourth in tackles in 2017)
That all being said, James Franklin has brought in the No. 20, No. 15 and No. 8 recruiting classes the last three seasons (according to 247sports.com). It’s impossible to fully replace a player like Barkley, but Penn State has built the kind of depth to reload that the program hasn’t seen in a long time.
They also play Ohio State two weeks before, then have a bye coming into the game. Michigan State plays a scrappy Northwestern team the week before so, between the home field advantage and the preparation time, I would give Penn State the edge against Michigan State.