Penn State football is officially back, folks.

We’re one day away from the Nittany Lions kicking off the season in Morgantown against West Virginia. It has been 362 days since the two teams faced each other in week one last season where Penn State came out on top 38-15.

This year, the Nittany Lions will travel through the country roads of West Virginia into a blue and gold stripe-out environment. However, our staffers feel confident that Penn State will take home the win.

Fernando Martinez Ruiz De Esparza (0-0): Penn State 31, West Virginia 24

The wait is finally over. Penn State football is back, and I think the Nittany Lions start off the season on the right note. 

A lot of questions will be answered in this game for the Nittany Lions as to how they will look on both sides of the ball after the change in coordinators. For Penn State’s offense, I think it will start a little slow at the beginning of this game as it gets adjusted to offense coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s system and the hostile environment in West Virginia.

However, I think this offense will start clicking after a few drives, so I expect big games from Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Just like the offense, I think the defense will take some time to get going, but I think Abdul Carter and this unit will make the necessary plays to determine the outcome of this game. 

As for West Virginia, this team is no joke. The hostile environment in West Virginia is a huge advantage for the Mountaineers and they will be highly motivated to pull off the upset.

However, West Virginia doesn’t have enough talent to win this game. Penn State has the advantage over them on both sides of the ball and better talent. Due to all the questions I have about this team, I expect this game to be close, but I expect the Nittany Lions to leave West Virginia with the victory.

Dillon Williams (0-0): Penn State 31, West Virginia 20

This game is a great test for the Nittany Lions. In this game, we will see Penn State’s offense get off to a hot start as I see it putting up 28 points, at the least.

West Virginia was 64th in points allowed per game last year, giving up 38 to Penn State in their matchup last September. With a new offensive coordinator, our two, star running backs returning for their junior years, and a whole team looking to prove themselves in a newly-shifted Big Ten, Penn State will win this game by double digits and start their season off right. 

Michael Siroty (0-0): Penn State 31, West Virginia 21

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene is good and Penn State fans aren’t giving him enough credit heading into this season opener.

However, the Nittany Lions are simply the better team. The defense, especially edge rushers, in blue and white are very difficult to stop, and it’ll be more than enough to slow down Greene and the Mountaineer attack.

While I do believe West Virginia poses more of a threat than many people see, I’m expecting Penn State to go 1-0 with a 10-point victory. 

Jamie Lynch (0-0): Penn State 31, West Virginia 21

I expect this game to be a real barn burner.

It’s Game one, Morgantown, Big Noon Kickoff, and the folks down in West Virginia will be fired up to say the least. While I have Penn State coming out on top by a 10-point margin, I don’t think that score is going to reflect how close this game truly is.

I predict a pick-six or scoop-and-score late in the fourth quarter will seal the deal for the Nittany Lions, with their defense, once again, coming up big to secure the win.

Cooper Cazares (0-0): Penn State 35, West Virginia 20

Going into the first week, Penn State has a sneaky test against a decent West Virginia team in Morgantown. If this was a night game I would be a tad more worried, but luckily for the Nittany Lions, it will be at noon.

I am unsure what the offense will look like after a new coordinator and scheme are established this offseason. That being said, the Nittany Lion’s defense will be too much for West Virginia to handle in this one. If the defense holds true, Penn State will have enough time to put together long methodical drives later in the game.

CJ Gill (0-0): Penn State 28, West Virginia 17

This West Virginia team has improved a lot over the last 365 days and I expect the game to be close through three quarters. The Nittany Lions’ talent and experience on both sides of the football should prevail in the end. Omari Evans and Tony Rojas are both going to have good games to start the season.

Aidan Conrad (0-0): Penn State 31, West Virginia 24

I think Penn State has the talent to get the job done on the road. This will be a boxing match of a game but I think the better team will find a way to come out on top in the end. I do still think West Virginia is able to cover the spread at home.

CJ Doebler (0-0): Penn State 34, West Virginia 20

Opening the season on the road is going to be tough for the Nittany Lions. James Franklin noted some of the extra challenges starting on the road will bring at his press conference on Monday, so I’m expecting a slower start from the 2024 team.

Just like last year, though, I think the offense is going to get into its rhythm after a few series and begin to show its true potential. The defense may also have some growing pains under new coordinator Tom Allen, but I don’t think the Nittany Lions will have any trouble coming home from Morgantown with a victory.

Nolan Wick (0-0): Penn State 38, West Virginia 20

I’ve heard a lot of noise coming from West Virginia’s sector of social media about this game. Many Mountaineers fans, including Pat McAfee, seem confident their team will win on Saturday, but I disagree.

This may be a closer contest than Penn State wants for a quarter or two, but the Nittany Lions will seal the deal with a couple of big plays toward the end. Perhaps Nick Singleton rips a 40-yard touchdown run and KJ Winston has an interception? Either way, I don’t think Penn State will lose this game. 

Mitch Corcoran (0-0): Penn State 27, West Virginia 18

I expect a gritty and ugly win from Penn State. West Virginia is better than people think, or at least they should be.  

The Mountaineers are returning a bonafide triple threat in the running game in quarterback Garrett Greene and running backs Jahiem White and CJ Donaldson. The trio helped the Mountaineers average 228.9 yards per game on the ground, which was good for third-best in the FBS last season. West Virginia was also top-30 in total offense per game, something Penn State lacked behind in. 

Although the Mountaineers racked up the yardage, they scored inefficiently. Penn State averaged fewer total yards per game but averaged 36.2 points per game – 13th best in the country – versus West Virginia who averaged 31.4 – 40th best in the country. 

But that’s all in the past. 

This year, West Virginia is returning a defense that allowed 380.8 yards per game and 26.2 points per game and I don’t think the Mountaineers made enough improvements over the offseason to hold Penn State. 

I think offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki will get this offense on the right track early this year. It’s not going to be a thing of beauty week one, but it will be a noticeable improvement from last year. I expect Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen to run all over this West Virginia defense and as for Penn State’s defense, I expect it to be dominant again.  

With being on the road, the new coordinators, and introducing young players and transfers into the starting lineup, I think Penn State will score less, and West Virginia will score more than they did in last year’s matchup, but Penn State still wins.

Joe Lister: (0-0) Penn State 38, West Virginia 17

I don’t get why people are making this a game. These two teams played last year, and it wasn’t really a close matchup. Neither said has completely revamped itself roster-wise since then, and this is essentially a rematch. Go out there and have fun, Drew Allar.