Penn State Vs. UCLA Preview, Predictions

The Nittany Lions host UCLA in their only home game of October. They're big favorites over the struggling Bruins.

Penn State running back Kaytron Allen runs the ball in the fourth quarter against Illinois. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State concludes a four-game homestand Saturday with its only home game of October. The No. 7 Nittany Lions host UCLA in not only the first Big Ten meeting between the teams but also their first game since 1968.

Penn State makes up for lost time by hosting UCLA for the annual "Stripe Out." Otherwise, Penn State coach James Franklin said this week, the Nittany Lions won't be throwing the Bruins a "Welcome to the Big Ten" breakfast before the game.

"Cookies and rainbows and puppies and send them gift baskets; we don’t think about that at all," Franklin said this week. "This is the team we’re playing this week. We need to be prepared to beat them. We're not welcoming anybody to the Big Ten. We've got a team on our schedule. ... All that welcoming stuff happened when the Big Ten had that thing in California, where we all had to fly all the way out there to welcome them all. Now it's an opponent on our schedule."

Well, then. Let's take a look at Saturday's Penn State-UCLA game.

No. 7 Penn State (4-0) vs. UCLA (1-3)

• When: Noon ET Saturday

• Where: Beaver Stadium

• TV: FOX

• Streaming: Fox Sports App

• Betting line: Penn State is a 28-point favorite, according to DraftKings

• Series history: UCLA leads 4-2

• Last meeting: Penn State 21-6 in 1968

The Story Line

The Big Ten, and its media-rights partners, welcomed UCLA about as warmly as Franklin did this week. UCLA plays a ridiculous four-week Big Ten stretch, with two road games to the Eastern Time Zone and no bye between them. UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said he didn't expect travel to be a factor, though he might think differently in a few weeks.

First, UCLA played a night game last week against Oregon. Then it gets a noon ET kickoff Saturday vs. Penn State. That's 9 a.m. Bruin body-clock team, meaning warmups will feel like 7:30 a.m. to the players. Then UCLA returns home next week to host Minnesota before flying back to the East Coast to play at Rutgers on Oct. 19. That's miserable. And compare that schedule with Penn State's. The Nittany Lions make one West Coast trip, to USC on Oct. 12, and get a bye the following week.

Evidently UCLA isn't worried about the west-to-east jet lag, since the team is scheduled to fly to State College on Friday. Meanwhile, Penn State is leaving two days before its game at USC, giving the team time to practice Friday and get on schedule for the 12:30 p.m. local kickoff. Perhaps UCLA is used to disruptive schedules, having played at Hawaii and LSU, this season. But that sounds like an opportunity for Penn State to take advantage of confused body clocks, jump to a comfortable lead and sideline the starters for next week.

RELATED: Five things to know about UCLA

Penn State Players to Watch

Beau Pribula: Penn State is keeping running back Nicholas Singleton's status quiet after a quiet week of practice. He'll likely play, but for how long? And how much will Penn State want to run Singleton and Kaytron Allen before the USC game? Though freshman Quinton Martin Jr. is the next back up, this could be an opportunity for Beau Pribula to compile a 15-carry game in an option run game.

Julian Fleming: After last week, when quarterback Drew Allar threw for just 135 yards on 21 attempts, Penn State is going to put some air into this game. Trey Wallace and Omari Evans will get their targets (deep shots for the latter), but here's a good opportunity for Fleming to catch some passes. The Ohio State transfer has five receptions for 72 yards this season. He might top that against UCLA.

Dani Dennis-Sutton: Defensive end Abdul Carter had the breakout game against Illinois. His partner could benefit from that. As UCLA tries to doorstop Carter and tackle Zane Durant, Dennis-Sutton will have free lanes on the opposite side. Could be a multiple-sack day for the defensive end.

RELATED: "You haven't seen the best of me yet," Abdul Carter says

UCLA Players to Watch

Justyn Martin: If Ethan Garbers, UCLA's starting quarterback, can't play, Martin will step in against a hostile Penn State defensive front. Martin, a 6-4 redshirt sophomore, has thrown five passes this season, completing two for 12 yards. He played late last week against Oregon after Garbers got hurt. This would be a tough spot to make your first career start.

T.J. Harden: The 6-2, 220-pound running back isn't off to the start he would like, averaging just over 10 carries, and 3 yards per carry, through four games. Still, Harden has big-play ability: He had touchdown runs of 59 and 62 yards last season, when he averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns.

K.J. Wallace: The redshirt senior, who plays the nickel/linebacker position, is UCLA's most disruptive defensive player, leading the defense in tackles for loss (three) and pass breakups (four).

RELATED: James Franklin seeks more discipline from the Nittany Lions

The Predictions

Mark Wogenrich: UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is two years removed from winning a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now he's trying to cobble together Chip Kelly's lapsed recruiting classes into a functioning offense. Bieniemy might have to do that Saturday without his starting quarterback. Penn State's defense very easily could throw its second shutout of the season. The more interesting topic is Penn State's offense. After a light workload against Illinois, Drew Allar should come out throwing. He could set season-highs in attempts and yards, even if he plays only three quarters. Big win for the Nittany Lions in their first game of the California doubleheader. Penn State 45, UCLA 6

Daniel Mader: I think the Nittany Lions’ pass rush becomes the biggest storyline in this matchup after its seven-sack performance vs. Illinois. UCLA is crawling into this week on a three-game losing streak, allowing 34-plus points to Indiana, LSU and Oregon, and the Bruins’ offensive line has struggled, allowing nine sacks in its last two games. Whether quarterback Ethan Garbers is healthy enough to play or not, I’d expect Abdul Carter and Penn State’s defensive line to wreak havoc on UCLA’s offense in a dominant win. Penn State 38, UCLA 10

Sam Woloson: UCLA has been the victim of a difficult schedule this season, and it won’t get any easier against Penn State. The Bruins will need to establish an offense to pull an upset, and it’s hard for me to see them doing enough. The ground game is struggling and will go against a stout Penn State run defense. Quarterback Ethan Garbers is banged up, and whether he plays or not, UCLA will struggle if it’s forced to be one-dimensional. I think the Nittany Lions will take care of business without too many issues. Penn State 42, UCLA 10

More Penn State Football

Beaver Stadium named college football's "rowdiest" stadium

Running back Kaytron Allen continues kicking down doors

Penn State to honor Paul Posluszny during UCLA game

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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