My Penn State Football Preseason Prediction

Let me first go on record as saying that this will be the first time in at least 3, and maybe 4 seasons that I haven't had my brother put a wager on Penn State to win the National Championship in Las Vegas for me.

Maybe that bodes well for the Nittany Lions to win it all, however, I'm not making that prediction. I do believe that with the right breaks, bounces and no injuries, PSU win the national championship this season....but then again, there's about 20 other schools who could say the exact same thing.

While the talent is certainly there, there is one huge hurdle: Michigan. PSU has to go into Ann Arbor (that whore) on Sept 22nd (kickoff time and TV coverage TBA). They haven't won there since 1996. They haven't beaten Michigan since 1996 (note the Lions did take 3 straight from the Wolverines from 1994-1996, including the infamous 1995 "snow bowl"). When it comes to Michigan, in terms of Penn State football, consider me from Missouri: "show me".

I won't, and I can't, predict a Penn State victory over Michigan until I witness it with my own eyes. Much like many of my gambling philosophies, one should ride a wave until it crests. Therefore, until I see this Michigan wave crest, I am predicting a Michigan victory on Sept 22nd. In 2002 and 2005 Penn State took better teams in Ann Arbor, only to get whored by the officials and Tony Johnson's TWO feet inbounds catch (deemed OOB by an official with a clear as day view) and the 2005 heartbreaker where our special teams coach (aka "Mr. Invisible", because we don't have one) decidely to strategically kickoff to Steve Breaston.

Unfortunately, I see another loss for the Lions somewhere in the season. They'll lose another game on the schedule, maybe Wisky, Ohio State, or god forbid either Purdue or Iowa.

Put me for a 10-2 regular season, which will be good enough for 2nd place in the Big Ten, and a nice BCS bowl, maybe in Arizona.

I'll see you all in Tempe in January.

For the glory.....