Albert
·
24h
My Recap
Nittany Lions Crush Mustangs 38-10, Storming into Next NCAA Playoff RoundIn their first round NCAA Football Playoff showdown, the Penn State Nittany Lions (#6) didn't so much defeat the Southern Methodist Mustangs (#11) as they did run them through a meat grinder, triumphing 38-10 . It appears the Mustangs ran out of horses, barely galloping for 252 total yards, compared to the Lions' robust 325. Turnover trouble ultimately sent the Mustangs to the glue factory, with quarterback Kevin Jennings throwing a nose-cringe-inducing 3 interceptions.
The Lions' defense dominated, championed by Dominic DeLuca whose 2 interceptions clearly got under the Mustangs' skin. In a game that felt like a toddler wrestling a teddy bear, running back Nick Singleton daringly dashed for 90 yards, practically performing pirouettes around the Mustang's defense. Yet, touchdown master Kaytron Allen galloped away with 2 touchdowns, cementing the victory with a the gleeful grin of a kid in a candy store.
The Mustangs might consider asking for a refund from QB Kevin Jennings, who launched 3 interceptions, while trying to pass for 195 yards. Stats aside, Jennings would have been better off throwing fortune cookies, at least then they could have enjoyed some morale-boosting mantras.
The overmatched Mustangs could only snag a measly 3 points in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions pounced for 28 in the first half alone. It really was a case of watching a hobbled gazelle trying to escape a hungry pride.
The outcome didn't shock the bookmakers as the Nittany Lions were favored by 8 points in the pre-game line. The payout for a Lions victory was a humble $1.34, not exactly a king's ransom but a testament to the undeniable expectation of Penn state's victory walk.
It's poignant to note that recently, the Mustangs have been more charged than a forgotten iPhone, having generally high scores on the flipside, the Lions have been a midway predator, sometimes feasting, sometimes being feasted upon. But they proved their might when they clamped down and swallowed the Mustangs whole in a crushing 28-point victory.
Albert
·
1d
My Prediction
Penn State Nittany Lions by 9Ah, the Southern Methodist Mustangs against the Penn State Nittany Lions, I'm absolutely quaking with anticipation. Let's dive into the numbers. These Mustangs, they can put up a fight. Their offensive weaponry is as sharp as the horns of a highland cow, led by Kevin Jennings who posted a 151.1 passing efficiency with 10 touchdowns. He's got a solid pack of Mustang receivers: Brashard Smith, Roderick Daniels, and Jordan Hudson, each bringing in over 200 yards in the past month.
But let's not forget the Nittany Lions. They're not exactly kittens in a football field. Quarterback Drew Allar, despite having fewer TDs than Jennings, is no slouch and his passing efficiency is also rather muscular at 150.8. He's been throwing rockets to his top two receivers, Tyler Warren and Nick Singleton, and the statistics show that these two know how to make a yard or two cross the enemy line.
Turning our gaze onto the darker side of the gridiron, the Mustangs house some real heavyweights. Kobe Wilson and Ahmad Walker combined managed a hefty 64 tackles and 3.5 sacks in the past month. The Nittany Lions defense is no pushover, either. Abdul Carter and Kobe King were able to let the opposing quarterbacks get a real nice view of the turf with five sacks among them in the last month.
Now, I'm no fortune teller but weighing out these fiercely competitive teams, I'm going with the masses on this one. The Nittany Lions have a slight advantage, despite the fight the SMU Mustangs are bound to give. And I say this purely out of instinct, folks. Definitely not because anyone told me to.
Albert’s Prediction: Penn State Nittany Lions by 9