Penn State football fell 20-12 in a crusher at Ohio State last weekend, but now, the chance to right the ship has arrived with a home date against the Indiana Hoosiers tomorrow.

Under James Franklin, the Nittany Lions have done well against the Hoosiers, with the most recent matchup showcasing a 45-14 blowout in Bloomington last season. He’s 8-1 against Indiana, and his team is favored to make it 9-1 come Saturday.

However, can he avoid one loss turning into two for another season? With that being said, our staffers are confident Penn State will bounce back this week.

Rico Gore (7-0): Penn State 49, Indiana 6

Although I am heartbroken about last week, this is still one of the best defenses in the country. The offense needs to basically score on every drive in order to somewhat prove itself.

I think we will see a lot more passing than we have before. These receivers need practice. As much as people want to place all of the blame for last week on Drew Allar, the receivers weren’t creating any space, and there were a few catchable balls that were dropped. I expect Penn State to use this game as a sort of passing practice. Nonetheless, Penn State covers.

Matt Brown (6-1): Penn State 38, Indiana 7

Well, last week sucked. After losing to Ohio State for the seventh year in a row, Penn State finds itself still in the hunt for the College Football Playoff, however, that path to getting there will be rough. For starters, it needs a bounce-back win against arguably the worst team in the Big Ten: the Indiana Hoosiers.

This cannot turn into the 2021 Illinois game, where Penn State loses a big game on the road, falls flat on its face, and loses to a terrible team at home. A championship opportunity for this season is somehow still alive and the Nittany Lions need to take care of business. The defense will play strong the whole game, and Drew Allar will have his best offensive game so far in his career as Penn State will move to 7-1.

Mitchell Corcoran (3-1): Penn State 42, Indiana 3

I expect a bounce-back week from the Nittany Lions, especially from the offense. If last season is any indicator, Penn State beat a 4-2 Minnesota team 45-17 the week after its first loss of the season. I expect a similar performance against a worse team. Indiana is 2-5 with no Big Ten wins so far this season. The losing streak continues for the Hoosiers, and Penn State covers again. I also think Drew Allar torches the Hoosiers’ defense to prove to everybody that he is still that dude.

Jamie Lynch (3-1): Penn State 38, Indiana 7

The Nittany Lions need to get back on track this weekend after a disappointing loss at the Shoe, and Indiana is a perfect game to do so. Penn State has to find a way to move the ball downfield, so while I don’t expect it to score 60 this weekend, look for work on that to show. The Lions will grab the win in what should be a beautiful weekend in Happy Valley.

Fernando Martinez (3-1): Penn State 49, Indiana 7

After a crushing loss to Ohio State last week, a matchup against Indiana couldn’t have come at a better time for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State has the perfect opportunity to get its season back on track after its first loss of the season and start preparing for its season-defining matchup against Michigan in two weeks’ time. Penn State’s offense looked nonexistent against Ohio State and got heavily criticized for its performance. I think Drew Allar and the offense feed off this criticism and play much better against the Indiana Hoosiers. As for the defense, I expect it to look dominant as always.

Indiana’s offense has already struggled this season against Michigan and Ohio State, so there’s no reason for me to believe that this offense will put many points against Penn State’s high-caliber defense. Also, there’s a reason why the Indiana Hoosiers are 2-5. This team is just not good, and Penn State is playing with a lot of frustration and motivation after last week. I expect the Nittany Lions to channel this frustration and motivation against the Hoosiers and blow them out of Beaver Stadium.

Cooper Cazares (3-1): Penn State 31, Indiana 3

Penn State is coming off another disappointing performance against Ohio State. As a result, this upcoming matchup against a struggling 2-5 Indiana program could prove to be a trap game. The Nittany Lions cannot overlook this team that can very well take advantage of a reeling offense. A loss here would prove to be the end of what once was a promising season for James Franklin and Co. I don’t see Penn State covering a 31.5-point spread, but the defense keeps the scoring minimal for the Hoosiers, leading to a victory for the blue and white. 

Aidan Conrad (6-1): Penn State 34, Indiana 3

The Nittany Lions will get back to their usual ways after last week’s emotional loss. There won’t be any problems getting past the Hoosiers. A win this Saturday will help build momentum before a tough stretch against Maryland and Michigan in the following weeks.

Sophia Monteforte (1-1): Penn State 38, Indiana 7

I predict that Penn State will win 38-7, trying to get its confidence back after last weekend. The Hoosiers are not a very strong team, and the Nittany Lions still have an incredible defense and good offensive players looking to redeem itself.

Nolan Wick (6-1): Penn State 35, Indiana 0

Although it has been a problem for James Franklin, I don’t expect one loss to turn into two. Penn State outmatches Indiana in every area on paper, so it should take care of business relatively easily. Expect Saturday to be everything the Nittany Lions put on display prior to Ohio State, which is scoring points and shutting down the other offense.

Joe Lister (6-1): Penn State 45, Indiana 7

Penn State’s going to rebound, that’s for sure. The question is whether or not the Nittany Lions and James Franklin can get back to their old ways and cover the -31.5 spread as they did before the Ohio State game. Personally, I’m not picking the Nittany Lions to come up short here, so Penn State should walk away with a pretty comfortable win. Be ready to get back to tailgating by the fourth quarter, folks.

Also, keep your eye on Hakeem Beamon. He’s a defensive tackle who wears No. 51. Saturday could be a massive game for him.

CJ Doebler (6-1): Penn State 38, Indiana 0

It’s been 10 quarters since Penn State last allowed a point in Beaver Stadium, and I don’t see that streak ending against the Hoosiers. Indiana is one of the worst teams in the country at running the ball and the Penn State defensive line, although it’ll most likely be without star defensive end Chop Robinson, will have a field day. Penn State’s offense will probably take a drive or two to get back into its groove, but once it wakes up, Indiana will have no chance of stopping the Nittany Lions.

Keeley Lamm (6-1): Penn State 34, Indiana 7

I’ll never bet against the Nittany Lions.