Penn State, Michigan set for Big Noon tilt at Big House?

FOX Sports’ lead football game analyst Joel Klatt spent time highlighting Penn State’s win at Auburn on his Monday morning podcast. He also might have revealed the kick time for the Nittany Lions’ trip to Michigan on Saturday, October 15.

In what is shaping up to be a battle of likely unbeaten Big Ten stalwarts, Klatt said that he would be on hand to call the game with play-by-play man Gus Johnson and sideline reporter Ginny Boulton.

Featuring some of the best matchups in the conference each week during its Big Noon broadcast, that means a noon kick is an overwhelmingly likely choice for the game between the Nittany Lions and Wolverines. 

“They walked into an SEC stadium and just beat up Auburn. It wasn’t even as close as the score indicated. And now, Penn State is looking at Central Michigan and then Northwestern, both at home before traveling to Ann Arbor. And Gus and I and Ginny will be there. That’s going to be a great game.”

More in store?

To add to the likelihood of Penn State at Michigan being a noon kick, our colleague Chris Balas at The Wolverine reported this Monday. Not only shaping up as a noon kickoff time but also the Big House is on tap to host a “Maize-Out” for the event.

To be clear, the Penn State game was always slated to be a maize out, announced this summer. It doesn't mean it's a night game. In fact, it will very likely be Big Noon unless something drastically changes. As of now, U-M vs. MSU is the night game, and the AAPD is planning for it

— Chris Balas (@Balas_Wolverine) September 19, 2022

Klatt didn’t formally announce the game as a noon kick. And, FOX Sports has yet to make an announcement given the three weekends between now and the tilt. Still, Klatt pointed to what makes the matchup so appealing.

With Penn State still needing to get by Central Michigan this weekend and Northwestern next weekend, and Michigan hosting Maryland this weekend before traveling to Iowa and Indiana, Klatt said he is expecting both programs to be unbeaten.

“I fully anticipate, if they take care of business – all due respect to Pat Fitzgerald, don’t want to underestimate you because I love your program – I fully anticipate Penn State goes into Michigan 5-0. I fully anticipate that Michigan, if they’re able to play like they play every single week, should be also undefeated in that game,” Klatt said. “It sets up a mammoth game. 

“Just peek over the horizon, and that game is staring at you right in the face with a balanced Penn State team. That’s a dangerous team, and that’s a quiet statement win for the Nittany Lions and James Franklin.”

What else did Klatt say about Penn State football?

Offering his insights on a Penn State team that he saw first-hand in the opener at Purdue on Sept. 1, Klatt said the transformation of the Nittany Lions is now evident.

A team coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons with an Achilles heel of a weakness in the running game, the injection of Nick Singleton has changed the conversation.

“I’ll tell you what, Penn State looks really good,” Klatt said. “We saw them against Purdue in their opener and they didn’t run it well. And, those of us that did that game came away from that game thinking to ourselves, ah, they haven’t fixed their main issue. Penn State has not fixed its main issue yet. 

“Well, Nick Singleton said, ‘Hold my beer.’ And then he immediately rolled off two great performances and now, guess what. Penn State has fixed their main issue.”

Next steps for Penn State

Explaining that Sean Clifford’s injury last season, and the disappointing results down the stretch, were both on account of a weak running game, Klatt added that Singleton’s impact cannot be overstated.

“Now their offensive coordinator, Mike Yurcich, he’s got a run game to lean on. And that run game is named Nick Singleton,” Klatt said. “He was the top running back recruit in the country. He comes to State College and delivers. This is one of those rare moments where it’s like, the guy that has to be the guy in his very first fall, is the guy. Nick Singleton is a monster. He’s leading the country and yards per carry at 11. That’s insane. He had 124 yards against Auburn. They had 245 yards rushing as a team. 

“So it’s not just him. They’re fixing their issues up front. And guess what that’s going to do? Take the pressure off of Sean Clifford. So now, Sean Clifford doesn’t have to be perfect.”

Calling Clifford the quarterback of “an offense that is balanced,” Klatt warned listeners of Penn State’s potential. 

“This is the perfect scenario for Sean Clifford. He’s the type of quarterback that can be really good for you if you’re not requiring him to be perfect,” Klatt said. “There are some quarterbacks like Bryce Young, put a cape on his back. He needed to be perfect and he was and he beat Texas on the road. Clifford might not be that guy, and that’s fine, by the way. Bryce Young is a Heisman Trophy winner. He is probably going to be one of the first one, or two picks in the draft next spring. 

“Clifford now is a quarterback of an offense that is balanced. They’ve got some speed on the outside. They believe in their tight ends and they can run the rock.”