A season of radical change in the college football landscape begins as Penn State travels to West Virginia to meet an old rival.

No. 8 Penn State (0-0) vs. West Virginia (0-0)

Start: 12:00 p.m., Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, West Virginia

The odds: Penn State -8.5

TV: FOX, noon – Gus Johnson (match report), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft (sideline)

Weather: A hot day with highs of 90 degrees and thunderstorms that will bring strong winds sometime in the afternoon.

TRAINER:

James Franklin:

PENN STATE RECORD: 88-39, 11th year

OVERALL BALANCE: 112-54, 14th year

AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA: 1-0

Neal Brown:

WEST VIRGINIA RECORD: 31-29, Sixth Year

OVERALL BALANCE: 66-45, 10th year

AGAINST PENN STATE: 0-1

FUN FACTS

West Virginia attack against Penn State defense

Let’s start with why the Mountaineers should succeed on offense in 2024 – a talented offensive line and a smart, experienced quarterback who can hurt you with his arms and legs. West Virginia has most of its key offensive linemen back from last year, when they finished third in the nation in rushing yards. They also have their two best backs back – sophomore Jaheim White, who averaged 7.7 yards per carry as a freshman and really came into his own at the end of the season with games of 146, 204 and 133 rushing yards in November. He’ll be paired with CJ Donaldson, a stocky 6-foot-2, 230-pound running back who can score difficult yards and wear down a defense the longer the offense stays on the field.

Quarterback Garrett Greene is very experienced in his fifth year and second as a full-time starter. He is particularly effective with his legs, running for 708 yards and 13 scores in 2023. While his 53.2 completion percentage leaves room for improvement, Gilbert is cautious with the football, throwing just four interceptions and being sacked just four times last season.

The Mountaineers’ best returning receiver is tight end Kole Taylor, who caught 35 passes for 444 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. At 6’1″ and 250 pounds, Taylor is quite quick and can easily cause trouble. Oklahoma State transfer Jaden Bray should also play a big role, giving West Virginia another physical presence that should fit well into their offense.

Despite losing its defensive coordinator and a handful of standout players, Penn State has a shot at being one of the best defenses in the country again. The defensive line should be among the best in college football, with a deep pool of experienced tackles as well as several current and potential standouts at defensive end. Look for Abdul Carter to move to defensive end but also fill the linebacker role at times. Speaking of linebackers, sophomore Tony Rojas will move into the starting lineup after showing off his ability to make big plays as a true freshman.

Penn State will be working through several new cornerbacks, with transfers AJ Harris (Georgia), Jalen Kimber (Florida) and Audavion Collins (Mississippi State) expected to see significant playing time. KJ Winston and Jaylen Reed are back to give the Nittany Lions a formidable safety duo, though Reed will fill a hybrid safety/linebacker role in new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 defense.

Pennsylvania attack against West Virginia defense

There are two main questions that can be answered (at least for now) when Penn State’s offense takes the field. The first is how things will look under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who is known for finding creative ways to create space for pass receivers and create wide running lanes. If nothing else, the offense should be fun to run, something no one could have guessed about the Nittany Lions last season.

Then there’s by far the most discussed topic that began long before the offseason – the development of the passing attack. Drew Allar is entering his second year as a starter and will be looking to make strides that could earn him a spot in the draft. While he had an incredible 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions last season, he’ll be looking for more explosive plays with more passing attempts down low, which were virtually nonexistent in 2023. For that to happen, the wide receivers will have to make big strides. The signing of Julian Flemming should help by providing a reliable presence, and Trey Wallace has star potential if he stays healthy. Liam Clifford made a lot of noise during the offseason and looks set to play a much bigger role in the fall.

Allar will look to use tight end Tyler Warren, who has All-American aspirations, early and often. Khalil Dinkins and Andrew Rappleyea should also get bigger roles as tight ends. Running back Nicholas Singleton should also play a role in the passing game after a massive improvement to the backfield in 2023. He could be the player who benefits most from Kotelnicki’s scheme, with his unique ability to create big plays as a runner and receiver.

Singleton will once again be joined in the backfield by Kaytron Allen as the duo share the load for the third consecutive season. Allen was Penn State’s most reliable offensive player in 2023, as his powerful running style provided plenty of yards and long drives. Redshirt freshman Cam Wallace should also see plenty of time this season and could bring another explosive playmaker to the lineup.

West Virginia has back the key players from the front seven that led the Big 12 in sacks last season. While they can get to the quarterback, they have trouble stopping the run, which could give Singleton and Allen a field day, especially if Allar has early success in spreading the defense apart. Like Penn State, they will be looking to several cornerbacks from the portal to replace departing starters.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter Riley Thompson and kickoff specialist Gabriel Nwosu are back in 2023 after outstanding seasons.

Returning is West Virginia kicker Michael Hayes II, who made 17 of 21 field goal attempts for 49 yards in 2023. Punter Oliver Straw is also back after averaging an impressive 43.1 yards per punt last season.

FORECAST

Penn State-34, West Virginia-20

As much as I enjoyed watching Georgia Tech’s methodical win over Floriday State in Week 0, it made me more anxious about this match-up. Like Georgia Tech, West Virginia has a capable offensive line and a veteran quarterback who can extend drives with his arm and leg and can be especially dangerous on third downs. The fact that Penn State is coming into an extremely hostile environment adds even more fuel to the Mountaineers’ attempts to pull off an upset.

Ultimately, though, I believe Penn State’s talent and coaching staff will get the job done. Penn State should once again have a stingy defense that can stop the run and get to the quarterback. While Greene will have some success initially keeping the defense on its toes and testing the inexperienced cornerbacks, the defense will settle in and make it much harder to move the ball in the second half. The key will be to keep Greene in the pocket and not allow him to extend his drives.

I don’t expect the newly installed offense to be full steam ahead from the start, but a great day on the field (especially if the storms come early) and a more relaxed Allar who uses more of the field will give us plenty of optimism for the upcoming season.

West Virginia will come out aggressive and take a field goal lead into halftime, but Penn State will take the lead in the second half and pull away with a satisfying road win in week one.