How will Penn State blow out Central Michigan in Beaver Stadium? Here are 2 key matchups

Penn State is coming off a big 41-12 blowout victory over Auburn and will return to Beaver Stadium for its next game. The 3-0 Nittany Lions are set to take on 1-2 Central Michigan, a team that has only beaten Bucknell so far this season. While no game is a guaranteed victory, this one should come with relative ease for Penn State.

Let’s take a look at the two key matchups that will decide how much the Nittany Lions win by on Saturday.

Jon Sauber: Central Michigan QB Daniel Richardson vs. Penn State’s secondary

This is probably going to be a tough week for Central Michigan. Its defense has been atrocious this season and is probably going to get lit up by the Nittany Lions. The offense could have a chance to score some points this weekend — after all the program put up 44 points against Oklahoma State — but will need to be at its best if it wants to keep pace. That starts with Richardson, who finished the game against the Cowboys with 424 yards and four touchdowns on 36 completions out of 49 passing attempts. He was able to pick apart a Power-5 defense in the team’s season opener and is going to have to do it again this week. Richardson has to get his weapons the ball but more importantly he needs to play mistake-free football.

Penn State’s defense has been great through three games and is coming off a dominant performance against the Auburn Tigers. The Nittany Lions were swarming, forcing turnovers with pressure, hauling in difficult interceptions and preventing big plays. They beat up on an SEC team on the road last week and facing a MAC team in Beaver Stadium isn’t exactly the same type of challenge. The secondary was responsible for plenty of the disruption the defense caused at Auburn and is probably the deepest position group on the roster. The team goes five deep at corner and four deep at safety while also having elite top end talent.

Joey Porter Jr. and Ji’Ayir Brown headline the groups at cornerback and safety, respectively, but Kalen King and Zakee Wheatley have already begun making their marks at the same positions. Porter and King form a lockdown duo at corner that can stick to any opposing receiving duo in man coverage — not to mention Johnny Dixon and Marquis Wilson who could both easily start at most Power-5 programs and Daequan Hardy who is one of the best nickel corners in the Big Ten.

Wheatley and Brown are one of the best ball hawking pairs of safeties in the country and are a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks to play against. While Keaton Ellis and Jaylen Reed also get plenty of time at safety, it’s the aforementioned players that can turn a game on its head with a single play. They combined to force three turnovers in the Auburn game and are probably going to do much more of the same against Richardson and Central Michigan. He and the rest of the offense are probably in for a rough day Saturday thanks to the Penn State secondary.

Kyle J. Andrews: Central Michigan safety Trey Jones vs. Penn State tight end Brenton Strange

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Trey Jones has been one of the few bright spots on Central Michigan’s defense. He plays in the box fairly often and has shown a sure tackling ability in two games. Jones had nine tackles (eight solo) and an interception in Central Michigan’s 58-44 loss against Oklahoma State on Sept. 1. He followed up with seven tackles (four solo) in the Chippewas’ 38-24 loss to South Alabama on Sept. 10. The sophomore has been able to display that he can defend, despite the fact that his team cannot do the same.

His prowess will be put to the test against the 6-foot-3, 256-pound Brenton Strange.

Looking at Strange’s nine catches through three games, you may not realize the immediate impact that the redshirt junior tight end has immediately made this season. Strange reeled in just two passes in Penn State’s 35-31 victory over Purdue on Sept. 1 for 77 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 38.5 yards per catch in the contest. The following game against Ohio on Sept. 10, redshirt senior quarterback Sean Clifford found him one time for 12 yards. Then, Strange had six catches for 80 yards for 13.3 yards per catch.

With the competition against Jones ahead, Strange will have to display a combination of power and speed against the safety. If it’s any indication from previous games, Strange has the ability to split out wide, in-line and in the slot to wreak havoc against the opposition.