Penn State football (0-3) will hit the road this weekend to take on Nebraska (0-2) at Memorial Stadium.

The Nittany Lions find themselves with an 0-3 record for the first time since 2001. James Franklin’s squad desperately needs a win against an 0-2 Nebraska team that lost by eight points to Northwestern last week.

Thankfully, most of our staff believes Penn State will leave Nebraska with its first victory of the season.

Frankie Marzano (1-2): Penn State 38, Nebraska 17

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a bad football team. Penn State has had a history of letting losses snowball into another, especially in the last few years. However, the team then finds its identity and gets right back on track.

I know historical trends don’t predict future success, but I can see this happening here again. This is still a good football team with a lot of talent. I expect Penn State to play with heavy hearts for Journey Brown and get its first win of the season in Lincoln.

Matt Rudisill (1-2): Penn State 38, Nebraska 31

It’s gotta happen eventually, right?

The Nittany Lions’ first win of the season will come on the heels of the unfortunate news that Journey Brown will never play football again. If that doesn’t light a fire under the team, I don’t know what will.

Samuel Brungo (1-2): Penn State 31, Nebraska 23

I am becoming less and less confident in this team’s ability to win football games. Despite a rough start to this fake short season, Penn State is not bad at football. I still believe in its ability to turn this season around and come out on the other side with a winning record.

With both teams winless entering this weekend, the Nittany Lions need to find a way to escape Saturday with a tally in the win column. Once they do, the rest of the season becomes a lot easier.

Nebraska is not a breeze, though. It played a hard-fought first half against No. 3 Ohio State and a one-possession loss to No. 23 Northwestern. Adrian Martinez is a very talented quarterback who has earned high praise for his running ability. Penn State’s front seven has done a phenomenal job containing mobile quarterbacks through its first three games with Michael Penix Jr. (-18 yards), Justin Fields (-4 yards), and Taulia Tagovailoa (13 yards).

I expect a good game but believe Penn State will come out with a narrow victory. Nittany Lions notch a W this weekend in Nebraska. State by eight.

Connor Donohue (1-2): Penn State 24, Nebraska 17

I don’t even know what to say anymore. This game is a coin toss and the fact that I’m even saying that is depressing. On paper, Penn State is a better team. They were also the better team on paper against Indiana and Maryland, but here we are. 

It’s been an emotional week for this program. Three straight losses hurt and Journey Brown’s retirement hurt, but I think that fuels this team to victory. The team will play its hearts out and get the win. It’ll be close and hard to watch, but the Nittany Lions get win No. 1 of the season.

Owen Abbey (1-1): Penn State 24, Nebraska 13

I want to believe the Nittany Lions get it done this time around, and that they won’t fall to 0-4. There are still plenty of question marks with this whole team, even if they do manage a win. The biggest one is can Sean Clifford get back on track?

I believe the answer is “yes.” It may not be the Sean Clifford from last year quite yet, but I do think this game against the Cornhuskers will prove to be the spark he needs to wrap up the season.

I think the news of Journey Brown’s early retirement is going to spark something inside this football team. Brown was the heart and soul of this team, and they will lay it all out there for him. This motivation should propel them to get a win.

Connor Krause (0-3): Penn State 28, Nebraska 24

Penn State will get its first win of the season in an ugly battle between the Big Ten’s two current bottom-feeders. After a sad week around the program surrounding the news about Journey Brown, expect the Nittany Lions to enter Memorial Stadium with a sense of motivation to make him proud.

The Cornhuskers are in a quarterback conundrum, but either option should provide the Nittany Lions’ lackluster defense with trouble. Adrian Martinez and Luke McCaffrey are both viable dual threat weapons, similar to each of the quarterbacks Penn State has faced so far this season.

A hungry Sean Clifford will be able to make enough plays with his arm and his mobility to win the game late in the fourth quarter. Hopefully, Penn State’s offensive line is able to find a combination consisting of the “right five guys,” in the words of James Franklin, to stave off Nebraska’s pass rush. If Clifford has enough time to target his favorite weapons in Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington, Penn State will surely enter the win column on Saturday.

Gabe Angieri (1-2): Penn State 27, Nebraska 20

No game is a given at this point, and Penn State could easily lose this one. The Nittany Lions have played poorly through three games and have started off 0-3 for the first time since 2001.

However, I still believe this Penn State team is way too talented to be this bad. I think Sean Clifford will bounce back after a rough showing against Maryland and put together a solid performance. Jahan Dotson will score at least one touchdown, and Parker Washington and Pat Freiermuth will put together nice performances as well.

Brent Pry’s defense was gashed in the first half against Maryland, but I expect the group to do enough to come out on top against the Cornhuskers. A win will put the Nittany Lions at just 1-3, but you need to start somewhere, and I think that “somewhere” is this Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Will Pegler (1-2): Penn State 20, Nebraska 11

Penn State is officially a bad football team, but so is Nebraska. With that in mind, I’m predicting some weird (wait for it) gritty Big Ten football in Lincoln.

Nebraska has a unique offense in which Adrian Martinez and Luke McCaffery both get substantial reps at quarterback, but it hasn’t exactly been dominant thus far for the Cornhuskers. While it looked horrible against Maryland, I expect Penn State’s defense to make open-field tackles against Nebraska’s athletes and limit those big plays that were such a problem in week three.

While the defense does enough, I have little to no faith in Penn State’s offense. Sean Clifford is not a bad quarterback, but he and the rest of the group don’t stand much of a chance to get into a rhythm with no running game and a struggling offensive line. Despite that fact, the offense will make a few big plays courtesy of Jahan Dotson and put up just enough points to slide by the Cornhuskers.

With the offensive line struggles in mind, however, I’m predicting Penn State to give up a safety at some point to the Cornhuskers, hence the weird 11 on the final score.

Big Ten Football, baby.

Ryan Parsons (0-3): Penn State 26, Nebraska 21

I truly don’t know what to expect with this team anymore. On one hand, Penn State has definitely shown all signs of being a bad team. But on the other hand, everything James Franklin and the players have said this week points toward progress.

Between the coronavirus and Journey Brown’s retirement, the team has been struggling with some issues off the field. This week would be the perfect time for the Nittany Lions to rally around Brown and come together to finally put a game in the win column.

Hopefully, Penn State can put the piece together this week and put together a gritty win at the buzzer. I say the Nittany Lions score 26 because James Franklin keeps going for two…and not converting. Look for continued success from Brandon Smith and Jayson Oweh. Oh! And let’s give some backup QBs a shot at the field while we’re at it.

Matt DiSanto (1-2) — Nebraska 24, Penn State 17

Penn State sucks. Nebraska sucks. But this weekend, I think Nebraska will suck less.

I’m not against picking the Nittany Lions, per se, but they’ve shown little life over the past few weeks. If Penn State shows any sign of a pulse this weekend, consider me back in same time next week, OK?