Penn State-Kent State preview: Nittany Lions return home as big favorites, chance for 3-0 start

Joel Haas / For the Post-Gazette

Penn State will return to Beaver Stadium to take on Kent State after its first bye week of the season, welcoming the Golden Flashes for a 3:30 kickoff on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions are 2-0 after a strong performance against West Virginia and a less strong showing against Bowling Green. Meanwhile, Kent State is 0-3, including a 23-17 loss to FCS St. Francis and a record-setting blowout at the hands of Tennessee.

Limping into the matchup, the Golden Flashes will hope to pull an upset for the books, entering as 49-point underdogs against a rested Penn State squad.

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The Nittany Lions will hope to correct the early defensive issues that plagued them against the Falcons, a game that ended up being too close for comfort. According to James Franklin and several players, they were trying to “do too much,” putting them out of position and allowing Bowling Green to take a 24-20 lead into halftime.

The revamped offense, however, has been firing on all cylinders under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, recording 34 points in both matchups and ranking among the country’s best in explosive plays.

Meanwhile, Kent State ranks as one of the worst teams in the FBS, sitting dead last in both yards per game and yards allowed per game through three weeks.

The Golden Flashes have struggled on both sides of the ball, something likely to continue against Penn State. After a 1-11 campaign in 2023, they may post an even worse record this year.

Players to watch

Julian Fleming: The Ohio State transfer recorded just one reception for three yards through the team’s first two contests but has an opportunity for an expanded role on Saturday.

With over four years of experience under his belt, Fleming’s lack of production so far has been puzzling. Against one of the worst passing defenses in the country, Fleming has the best opportunity he’ll get all season to put up some numbers.

Dejuan Lane: With Kevin Winston Jr. likely out for this matchup, freshman safety Dejuan Lane is a name to watch against the Golden Flashes. Lane arrived on campus as a 4-star recruit and has hit the ground running, earning praise from James Franklin. He appeared for three snaps against West Virginia and none against Bowling Green, but will likely play an elevated role and potentially even start.

Nick Singleton: Of running backs with at least 20 carries, Singleton ranks fifth nationally in yards per rush at 9.0. He’ll have an opportunity to move up the rankings with a big performance against Kent State, eyeing a third consecutive 100-yard game after eclipsing that mark just once last season.

Behind enemy lines

Luke Floriea: On a roster void of talent, the wide receiver stands out as a bright spot. He’s hauled in 15 receptions for 209 yards and two scores this season, responsible for much of the team’s offensive success.

Chrishon McCray: The only other offensive player to record a touchdown for the Golden Flashes, McCray also has a pair of scores to his name. The wide receiver has 12 catches for 121 yards, combining with Floriea for a vast majority of the team’s receiving yards.

Rocco Nicholl: Kent State’s defense spends a lot of time on the field, and leading the group is Nicholl. The linebacker holds a team-leading 22 tackles, adding two quarterback hits.

Prediction

Penn State 60, Kent State 3: Penn State tends to take care of business against inferior opponents, and this week should be no different. The Nittany Lions got their wake-up call against Bowling Green and will be ready to go coming out of the bye week against arguably the worst team in college football. By all accounts, this should be a splattering.