Penn State-Northwestern picks, predictions: Will Lions start 5-0?

Penn State is a 26-5-point favorite over Northwestern. It's the second Big Ten game of the season for Penn State.

Penn State is 7-2 at home against Northwestern all time. The Lions lost the 2016 game 29-6.

Penn State is going to play Northwestern on Saturday. Northwestern is 1-3 and has lost three straight games at home. The Wildcats haven't had a close game since their opener at Purdue.

Penn State and Northwestern are playing each other on Saturday. Northwestern's most reliable form of offense is between the tackles. Penn State's defense has faced a better offensive line this season. Last week Penn Staters beat Central Michigan 46-24. Northwestern quarterback Ryan Hilinski is inconsistent. The goal for Penn state is to get out to an early lead and force Northwestern to abandon the run.

Penn State is 4-0 after a win over Central Michigan last week. Northwestern is coming off back-to-back losses to Southern Illinois and Miami (Ohio). The Nittany Lions' offense should continue working out the kinks in the running game and should be able to move the ball on the ground. The game is at Beaver Stadium.

Matt Herb is feeling less bullish about Penn State's prospects this season after the team's lackluster win over Central Michigan. Northwestern has been careless with the football and has a minus-5 turnover margin. The Wildcats have also given up the second-most rushing yards in the conference (160.8 per game).

Penn State is a deserving favorite in this contest. The Nittany Lions have advantages at almost every position. They have proven they can win at home, on the road, against conference foes and opposite an SEC opponent. Wildcats have struggled on offense and didn't get enough from their defense.

Ryan Snyder is 4-0 and last week he beat Penn State 51-17. Northwestern is struggling this season and is ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in key stats. The Wildcats are playing against Miami (Ohio) this Saturday. Miami has a host of injuries at the moment, but they beat Northwestern last time. Penn Staters are starting to play at a high level. Hurricane Ian could make the game a bit sloppy.