Cotton Bowl preview – Penn State vs. Memphis: Key matchups, odds, predictions

Memphis is trying to end its banner year on a high note as the Tigers, who just lost their head coach to Florida State, will face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Cotton Bowl.

In one of the biggest games in the history of the Memphis football program, the Tigers will be somewhat short-handed. To be fair, Memphis isn’t missing any huge names from its roster, other than its head coach, of course. The man who guided the Tigers to the Cotton Bowl won’t be coaching in it as Mike Norvell is now in Tallahassee, Florida. And that leaves the Tigers trying to finish their historic season on a high note.

Meanwhile, the Penn State Nittany Lions are trying to have their third 11-win season in four years. Under James Franklin’s guidance, the Nittany Lions have ascended in the Big Ten and have won 41 games from 2016 up to this point, gaining national relevance along the way.

Winning a New Year’s Six Bowl Game will help Penn State’s continuing efforts in becoming one of the most prominent teams in college football right now.

In terms of storylines and intriguing matchups, the Cotton Bowl promises to provide plenty of them. An underdog from a blue-collar city in Memphis is set to face off against a team that has a wealth of history and is currently one of the best programs in the country.

The Cotton Bowl will be played on Dec. 28 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Key Matchups

Brady White vs. Sean Clifford

There shouldn’t be any shortage of points scored in the Cotton Bowl as the matchup features two exciting offenses led by incredibly productive quarterbacks. Brady White has completed 64.2 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,560 yards and 33 touchdowns against nine picks. Sean Clifford has been dealing with injury issues here and there this season but has completed 59.5 percent of his passes, throwing for 2521 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions this season.

Kenneth Gainwell vs. Micah Parsons

Right alongside White will stand Kenneth Gainwell, one of the most productive players in the country. The redshirt freshman averaged 6.4 yards per carry and 12.1 yards per reception. In total, he has 15 touchdowns and has 1957 yards this year. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is one of the best linebackers in the country and will have a tough time being part of the group responsible for slowing Gainwell. He has 95 tackles this season. He’ll likely grab a few more as he collides with Gainwell in Arlington.

Odds

Penn State comes into the game as a seven-point favorite, according to The Action Network. Given how good both offenses are, it’s not a shock to see that the over/under is set at 59.5 points. The moneylines are set at -260 for Penn State and +215 for Memphis.

Predictions

There’s a very real chance that this game becomes a shootout. With both offenses being among the most productive and most explosive in the country, it’d be a surprise if either defense found a way to lock things down. But, given that Memphis just had to replace Mike Norvell and Penn State has some consistency at head coach right now, picking the Nittany Lions to come out on top makes the most sense.

Score: Penn State 37, Memphis 35

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