College Football season is off to the races and returning for another loaded week of action. While there are not as many ranked matchups as in Week 1, there are still plenty of takeaways to be had in the early weeks of the season. Penn State produced a convincing 35-point victory in its season opener and will now take on FIU. The Panthers are coming off a 33-point victory in their Week 1 matchup over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats. This will be a steep leap in competition, but FIU still deserves some credit for playing some good football.
Looking at the odds, Penn State is favored by 41.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the game total set at 53.5 for this week’s matchup. This is just the second-ever matchup between the two programs, with Penn State producing a 59-0 victory in the lone other matchup, which took place back in 2007.
This article will take a brief preview for both teams and a pick for the Week 2 matchup.
FIU vs. Penn State Preview
Penn State Preview
James Franklin will still have to find a way to win a big game when the moment arises, but the Nittany Lions looked like a National Championship threat in their season-opener. Not only did Penn State beat Nevada 46-11, but they more than doubled their opponents’ total yards, forced three turnovers, and even were able to rest Drew Allar with the game in reach. Allar looked solid in his 2025 debut, completing 22 of his 26 pass attempts for 217 yards and a touchdown, while adding 20 yards with his legs. He was precise and efficient in his passing, even if he did not attack as much downfield as he will need to as the season progresses. The defense looked dominant, producing three sacks, nine tackles for a loss, two fumble recoveries, and an interception, and the Week 1 matchup was never in doubt.
It is worth noting that the Nittany Lions failed to cover the 43.5-point spread against Nevada. A late Wolfpack touchdown with 1:29 on the clock spoiled all hopes of this. A spread of 6+ touchdowns is a large margin, and Penn State will look to climb this hill again this week. While it is tough to have too many negative takeaways from a game that was never in doubt, the Nittany Lions are banged up at the wide receiver position with several expected impact players missing.
FIU Preview
There are not as lofty hopes and expectations for FIU, but they impressed in the opening week. The Panthers put up 456 yards of total offense and produced a 42-9 victory over Bethune-Cookman. It was a balanced attack, with 233 yards coming through the air and 223 rushing yards tallied. Keyone Jenkins held things down at the quarterback position and looked solid. He completed 18 of his 28 pass attempts for 187 yards and added a pair of touchdowns with his legs.
The Panthers lean on a rushing-oriented attack, with an impressive seven different players receiving a rush attempt last week. Kejon Owens headlined the production with 71 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. Devonte Lyons and Anthony Carries each had eight rush attempts and a touchdown while combining for 103 rushing yards. This play style will be put to the test against Penn State’s defensive front, which ranks as one of the best in the country. FIU is also dealing with some injury issues with wide receiver Juju Lewis remaining questionable and concerns further growing with the passing game.
FIU vs. Penn State Pick
FIU should feel great about their Week 1 result and their outlook on the season. But this is a leap in competition in which there seems to be little pathway for them to look competitive against. Keyone Jenkins can be overly conservative at the quarterback spot and depended on a variety of short and medium passes for his production in the previous game. The Panthers are also dependent on their running game to open up the rest of the playbook.
Expect them to have much more difficulty against a Penn State defense that will have the advantage in every individual matchup. Future NFL talent is stocked in the trenches and will make quick work of shutting down running lanes and getting into the backfield. FIU has covered the spread in five of their past six games, but are 0-8 straight up in their last eight road games, and 0-7 in their previous matchups against the Big Ten.
Penn State is 14-3 straight up in their last 17 games, 9-1 in their last 10 home games, and 13-4 against the spread in their previous 17 matchups in September. The Nittany Lions looked impressive last week and have made a habit of beating up on bad teams. While there are worse collegiate programs than FIU, I struggle to find a lane where they have an advantage, and the failure to establish the running game could derail their entire play style. If the number is too large for your liking, expect some points to be put on the board and for the over to cash for the seventh time in Penn State’s past nine games. But I am backing James Franklin and company to be prepared to deliver an even larger victory in Week 2. The Week 1 matchup was never in doubt, but Penn State took its foot off the gas a tad early while Nevada finished to the final whistle. Expect the Nittany Lions’ defensive line to be the biggest story in this matchup and for Penn State to make its case for why they should be the number one team in the country with another blowout victory.
