ALTOONA, Pa. -- Penn State is favored by 17.5 points over Rutgers, but that number is a little too big for almost all of the pickers in our weekly statewide survey of Nittany Lion beat writers.
Only one of our 15 pickers has Penn State covering the 17.5-point spread, and his score prediction is 18 points.
Penn State is 29-2 all-time against the Scarlet Knights, but several recent matchups haven't exactly been things of beauty to watch for either team.
The Lions come in with a 6-4 record and have lost four of their last five. Rutgers is 5-5 and coming off a 38-3 blowout win at Indiana. Greg Schiano would badly love to take down Penn State, and if the Lions aren't focused and ready to play after their recent struggles, it could be in danger of that.
Here are this week's predictions, and take special note of Jarrod Prugar's comical line about Schiano.
Frank Bodani, York Daily Record: Penn State 27-20. This should be easy with a healthy Sean Clifford working behind good pass blocking. Then again ... Rutgers is more motivated, and that will show.
Donnie Collins, Scranton Times-Tribune: PSU 24-10. I get the whole "What's the motivation" thing. But Rutgers never scores against Penn State. This might look ugly. But it's an easy Penn State win.
Cory Giger, DK Pittsburgh Sports: Penn State 26-16. These games are never pretty, as Rutgers likes to ugly it up and Penn State usually obliges. Lions' defense will get the job done.
Mike Gross, Lancaster Online: Penn State 23-21. Nits are the better team. Rutgers is in better emotional and maybe physical shape. Both defenses are better than both offenses. I foresee a tractor pull.
Elton Hayes, CNHI Pennsylvania: Penn State 28-10. Defense sets the tone, and the offense takes a step forward with its ground game.
Ben Jones, StateCollege.com: Penn State 31-14. Rutgers is Rutgers.
Joe Juliano, Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn State 24-13: Penn State's offense hasn't scored more than three touchdowns in any Big Ten game this season and it probably won't today. But the defense comes up with a turnover or two to help the cause.
Andrew Kalista, FOX 43: Penn State 23-13. "The regular crowd WON'T shuffle in" to Beaver Stadium. Defense will still play inspired and the Offense "puts enough bread in the jar" for win as Schiano's guys need to chop more wood.
Derek Levarse, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Penn State 27-14. Lions defense sets up a few scores to make it 15 in a row over Rutgers.
Kevin McGuire, Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State 26-9. Given recent results in this series, this game will be anything but pretty. But Penn State never sees this game in any serious doubt. The defense is on control all the way and the offense gets enough big strikes.
Jarrod Prugar, DK Pittsburgh Sports: Penn State 24-10. Sing us the song of the Schiano Man!! But not Saturday. Running the ball still gives Franklin the blues, but a win is a win.
Neil Rudel, Altoona Mirror: Penn State 27-21. Emotionally, these two teams are on opposite ends. Plus Rutgers usually plays Nits tough.
Jon Sauber, Centre Daily Times: Penn State 30-13. Rutgers' best chance of scoring will be off of mistakes by the Penn State offenses. There should be a few of them.
Rich Scarcella, Reading Eagle: Penn State 29-18. Scarlet Knights play solid defense, but don't have enough offense to beat the Lions.
Mark Wogenrich, Sports Illustrated: Penn State 24-10. Rutgers hasn't scored more than 10 vs. Penn State since joining the Big Ten. That won't change Saturday.