First Look: Penn State Vs. UMass

The Lions face one of college football's weakest defenses before heading to Ohio State.

Penn State inched upward to No. 5 in the college football Coaches Poll after the bye week, setting the stage for a potential top-five matchup at Ohio State in two weeks. But first, the Nittany Lions host Massachusetts for this year's Homecoming game at Beaver Stadium. What to expect from Penn State-Massachusetts? Here's our first look at the game.

Penn State (5-0) vs. Massachusetts (1-6)

When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday

Where: Beaver Stadium

TV: Big Ten Network

Streaming: FuboTV (Start your free trial)

Betting Line: Penn State is a 43-point favorite, according to DraftKings

Series History: Penn State leads 1-0

Last Meeting: Penn State 48-7 in 2014

About the Lions: Penn State's friendly start to the 2023 schedule continues with the program's latest non-conference game since 2014, Franklin's first season. The Lions defeated Temple that year in a November game sandwiched between Indiana and Illinois. This time, Penn State hosts Massachusetts after a bye week. It's an intriguing spot on the schedule, with the date at Ohio Stadium looming a week later. The positive is that the Lions should bring very low rep counts to Columbus. This will be a fresh team facing the Buckeyes. However, could a de facto two-week break blunt Penn State's edge? The coaching staff's job this week is to keep the players mentally wired while also managing their workloads. It's a fine line to walk, which could produce some disengaged play. The players know this game is prep for the trip to Ohio State. So James Franklin and his staff might want to drive the focus a little harder this week as a runway to Ohio State.

About the Minutemen: Massachusetts, one of four FBS independents, has lost six straight games after a season-opening win over New Mexico State. This is one of the weakest teams in the country, ranking 129th among 133 FBS teams in the ESPN College Football Power Index. Massachusetts' defense allows 39.4 points per game, the second-most in the country, and has given up 36 touchdowns, the most nationally. Massachusetts also gives up 450 yards per game (220 rushing) and the most plays of 20+ yards (47) in the country. All this is to say that Penn State finally should break a run longer than 30 yards. Taisun Phommachanh, who played at Clemson and Georgia Tech before joining the Minutemen this season, has started four games at quarterback. Massachusetts' head coach is Don Brown, who tormented Penn State as Michigan's defensive coordinator. His receivers coach is Matt Zanellato, who played for Franklin at Penn State in 2014 and '15.

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AllPennState 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 Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.