The first full week of the 2024 college football season includes a lot of Week 1 games featuring FBS squads going against FCS teams, so we must cherish the few FBS matchups we have. That includes when West Virginia plays host to No. 8 Penn State on Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The Nittany Lions will be tested immediately against a mountaineers team that surprised nearly everybody last season en route to a 9-4 record last year.
While games like these have always been important, there’s a little extra spice added to them this season. It’s the first season with a 12-team playoff that will include seven at-large berths. If you’re hoping to be one of those 12 teams and fail to win your league, it’s games like these that could work for you or against you when the committee begins comparing resumes.
It’s only Week 1, but we’re already thinking about resumes. Welcome to the new era of college football.
LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for live updates from Week 1’s top games, including Penn State vs. West Virginia
How to watch Penn State vs. West Virginia live
Date: Saturday, August 31 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium — Morgantown, West Virginia
TV: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Penn State vs. West Virginia: Need to know
Penn State has two new coordinators: Manny Diaz did such an excellent job with the Penn State defense last season that when Duke needed a replacement for Mike Elko, they lured Diaz away from the Nittany Lions. In Diaz’s place is a familiar face for Big Ten fans. Former Indiana coach Tom Allen takes over a unit expected to be one of the best in the country. Penn State scored one of the biggest assistant hires of the offseason on the other side of the ball, luring Andy Kotelnicki away from Kansas. Kotelnicki has put together exciting and explosive offenses in stops at Buffalo and with the Jayhawks, and a the hope is he can bring those big plays to Happy Valley.
Garrett Greene was a pleasant surprise for the Mountaineers: Greene didn’t have a great game in last season’s opener against Penn State but followed it up with a four-touchdown performance the next week and never looked back. The 5-foot-11, 202-pound Greene isn’t the most imposing physical presence, but don’t overlook the impact he can have on a game. He finished last season with 2,406 yards passing and 16 touchdowns while also rushing for 772 yards and 13 touchdowns. As Greene goes, so goes the Mountaineers offense.
Penn State’s Abdul Carter could be one of the best defensive players in the country: Producing incredible linebackers and pass rushers is something of a tradition at Penn State. Names like LaVar Arrington, Jack Ham, Micah Parsons and Sean Lee immediately come to mind, as does last season’s first-round pick Chop Robinson. The name to know this season is Abdul Carter. Carter finished last year with 48 tackles, 4.5 sacks and an interception, and will take on an even larger role this season.
Penn State vs. West Virginia prediction, picks
The Penn State defense will be the best unit on the field in this game, and as we saw last season, they’ll make life difficult for Garrett Greene and the Mountaineers offense. As for Penn State’s offense, while I’m high on the long-term projections under Andy Kotelnicki, it’s sensible to expect a few speed bumps early, particularly in a tough road environment. Pick: Under 51.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 1? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.
