Penn State football vs. Massachusetts: scouting report, prediction

Penn State football enjoyed a well-timed bye last weekend.

This one?

Well, playing a six-touchdown underdog could qualify as another, in a sense.

Penn State’s annual homecoming game Saturday will be against a most unusually-timed suspect: the independent, non-Power 5 Massachusetts Minutemen.

The Nittany Lions should have no problem winning decisively and resting their starters early before their first true test. UMass has lost six-straight since an opening victory over New Mexico State. It offers one of the worst defenses, in the entire nation.

Ready again, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen?

The Minutemen are yielding more points per game (39.4) than all but one of the 130 FBS teams. Allowing more rushing yards (220) than all but two.

Which all just points to one more tune-up workout Saturday for a Penn State team in need of much more. It can at least work on deficiencies: creating big gains in the run game and downfield continuity in the pass game.

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For now, they’ve had next-to-nothing of either, which is not a good look for a ramped-up second half of the schedule — starting Oct. 21 in Columbus, Ohio.

So if Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen cannot break any big runs against UMass, then, well, …

You can fill in the rest.

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Other than that, Saturday will be a time to simply try and remain occupied and focused long enough, to break some big plays, get a substantial lead and allow the backups to own one more afternoon.

A meaningful fourth quarter is finally coming, soon enough.

Maybe its best, then, to just be as rested and revved up to experience such a new phenomenon when it does arrive. Maybe three-straight cushy Saturdays (at Northwestern, bye, UMass) can help a team, after all.

There’s not really much else to do.

Prediction: Penn State 54, Massachusetts 6

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState