Let’s be honest: a Penn State vs. Georgia matchup most likely isn’t going to produce a lot of exciting football. Neither team can boast above-average quarterback play, and by extension, above-average offenses.
But for the football purists out there, the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl will provide some very solid defense from two of the best units in the country, which should make for an interesting chess match.
Read on below for our complete preview of this Big Ten-SEC showcase. And for more big Saturday bowl games, check out our previews of the Liberty Bowl (Kansas State vs. Arkansas) and the Alamo Bowl (Oregon vs. TCU).
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Georgia Bulldogs Preview
Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville
When: Saturday, January 2, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Penn State Nittany Lions (+6.5) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5) – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Penn State Nittany Lions (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten)
It was a second-consecutive mediocre season for head coach James Franklin at Penn State. The Nittany Lions lost to just about every above-average team they faced this year, including their last three in a row against Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State in a 55-16 demolition in their regular season finale.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Penn State is still pretty awful on offense. The offensive line remains unable to adequately protect quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who has in turn continued his precipitous drop down NFL mock drafts everywhere. “Hack” has limited his interceptions from 15 a year ago to just five this season, but has completed just 53 percent of his passes.
However, Penn State will have arguably the best offensive player on the field with running back Saquon Barkley. The freshman topped 1,000 rushing yards in just 10 games this season with seven touchdowns and could be the game-changer what is likely to be a defensive struggle.
Penn State’s defense is the team’s big strength and should be good enough to keep in touch with a Georgia team that might actually have a worse offense than the Nittany Lions. Penn State gave up 21.7 points per game this season (29th in the nation) but is ranked No. 16 in the S&P+ defensive rating.
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Betting on the Georgia Bulldogs (9-3, 5-3 SEC)
Georgia’s once-promising season basically ended when star running back Nick Chubb was lost for the season after suffering a serious knee injury against Alabama. The Bulldogs still managed to win their last four games (and went 3-1 ATS) against inferior opposition, but it wasn’t enough to save head coach Mark Richt’s job.
Georgia scored over 30 points just once in the last seven games of the season after Chubb’s injury despite Sony Michel’s best efforts. The sophomore running back topped 130 rushing yards and scored a touchdown in three of his last four games. The Bulldog offense will likely continue finding it tough to put points on the board against a very solid Penn State defense.
However, Georgia’s defense has also stepped up to the occasion, especially during the month of November, as they limited opponents to just 10 points per game. The Georgia D, which is No. 11 in the S&P+ rankings, could very well be the best unit on the field and should be able to put the clamps on an already limited Penn State offense.
Writer’s Prediction
Penn State produces just enough offense to stay within a touchdown of Georgia. The Nittany Lions (+6.5) cover.
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