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Nittany Lions still need to take this seriously

Five things to look for as Penn State plays its least interesting game since hosting woeful Indiana State to open the 2011 season.

No. 1: Don’t take lightly

Honestly, you’re taking this game lightly. Me too. Everyone is.

That’s what happens when a powerhouse team plays a small program and is favored by nearly 40 points. (The line actually has gone down — go figure — from 39 to now 37 ½).

Is an upset possible? Sure. Appalachian State over Michigan 10 years ago proved anything is possible.

But let’s be real. Penn State is going to crush Georgia State. Unless … everyone say it together now … the Nittany Lions take the Panthers too lightly.

If you’ve ever played sports, you’ve probably played some type of David vs. Goliath game. Maybe you were on the powerful David team, maybe the overmatched Goliath team. What’s always true in such matchups is, the longer the underdog hangs around, the more confident it gets that it actually could pull off a stunner.

With that in mind, the Lions need to bury Georgia State early. Score two or three touchdowns in the first quarter. End any drama. Get the starters their work. Play effectively and efficiently and have the game over by halftime.

That way, some starters get to rest in the second half, some backups will gain key experience that can help later on in the season, and this turns out to be exactly what everyone thinks it is — a glorified scrimmage.

No. 2: Price gouging

Georgia State is getting paid a reported $1.2 million for this game. That is a staggering amount of money for such a bad opponent.

The way college sports works is, the big boys pay the little guys to come to their place, take their whipping and get their money to go help fund their athletic department. In football and basketball, that’s standard operating procedure.

Still, $1.2 million for Georgia State is outrageous. That’s throwing away at least a half million dollars. No, maybe that’s not a ton of money in the grand scheme of Penn State football, but we are talking about a program that’s trying to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to renovate Beaver Stadium.

This game is payback in many ways to Georgia State for letting PSU host a satellite camp a few years back. But the cost is way too steep.

What does this have to do with actual game keys? Nothing. It’s just a reminder that, when you’re watching this blowout, the opponent really isn’t losing at all.

No. 3: Check the crowd

One of the most amazing things about Penn State football is that the Lions can get 80,000-90,000 fans for pretty much any opponent. I’ve always joked that you can go find 22 random guys at Walmart and put them in uniforms, and 80,000 fans would still show up to watch them play PSU at Beaver Stadium.

Today will be an example of that. Yes, there will be 25,000 empty seats. But 90 percent of the programs in college football would do anything to draw 80,000 fans, and Penn State can do that against anybody. Even Georgia State.

No. 4: Barkley’s numbers

Penn State could win this by 40 if Saquon Barkley doesn’t play at all. But Barkley still needs to rack up big numbers for his Heisman campaign, and PSU has every reason to want him to remain one of the frontrunners for as long as possible.

The dilemma is how much to play Barkley and risk injury, versus making sure he gets his 200-250 all-purpose yards.

It’s a tough call. It really is. Look for him to still be playing and getting touches midway through the third quarter, regardless of score, before taking off the final quarter and change.

No. 5: Players to watch

PSU: QB Trace McSorley will have a big bounce-back day after struggling a bit against Pitt.

Georgia State: QB Conner Manning will have to have an incredible game throwing the ball for the Panthers to have any chance of staying close.

Prediction: Penn State 53, Georgia State 6

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