First Look: Penn State Vs. Kent State

The Nittany Lions close their non-conference schedule at home against the lowest-ranked team in college football.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar looks to throw a pass during the second quarter against the Bowling Green Falcons at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State returns to action Saturday against the lowest-ranked college football team in America. The Nittany Lions host Kent State, which is 0-3 and at the very bottom of the ESPN Football Power Index.

What to expect from the Penn State-Kent State game? Here's an early look.

Penn State (2-0) vs. Kent State (0-3)

• When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday

• Where: Beaver Stadium

• TV: Big Ten Network

• Streaming: BTN+

• Series history: Penn State leads 6-0

• Last meeting: Penn State 63-10 in 2018

About the Nittany Lions: "You're going to have to win a ton of different ways throughout the year," Penn State coach James Franklin said last week, referencing his team's closer-than-expected victory over Bowling Green. It happens, The Lions won by seven as 34-point favorites, perpelexed by their first-half defensive flailing. This Saturday's game against another MAC team should (should!) be far different. Penn State had a bye week to address some of its injury issues and the defensive lapses that occurred largely in the first half against the Falcons. Two players to watch this week are defensive ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton, who are without a sack through the first two games. They're elite edge rushers who haven't been able to connect yet, having faced two experienced quarterbacks who know how to get rid of the ball quickly. This game should provide more opportunities. Likewise on offense, the potential is there (again) to get some other players involved, notably receiver Julian Fleming, running back Cam Wallace and perhaps even true freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.

About the Golden Flashes: Kent State, which ranks 134th and last in the latest ESPN FPI, declined a second-half running clock during its 71-0 loss to Tennessee on Saturday. "Because that's not who we are," Kent State coach Kenni Burns told reporters in Knoxville after the game. "That's now who we are as a football team. That's not who we are as a culture. There are a lot of teams that lost today in lump sums. They're not getting running clocks. A football game is a football game." Kent State has played three very difficult football games so far this season. The team fell to Pitt 55-24 in its opener and then lost to FCS Saint Francis 23-17 at home in Week 2 (Saint Francis just lost to Central Connecticut State). The Golden Flashes trailed Tennessee 65-0 at halftime, and the Volunteers totaled 740 yards of offense. Tennessee piled on by recovering an onside kick up 30-0. Kent State has allowed 149 points in three games, the most in FBS, and is allowing 570.7 yards per game, also an FBS high. Burns said after the Tennessee game that Kent State is a "very young team" and one still putting together its roster with 23 transfers. Of note: Kent State offensive line coach Matt Limegrover held the same job at Penn State from 2016-19.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.