As expected, Nittany Lions handle Pitt at home

Penn State lost three times last season. Twice by three points and once by 39. The first of the close losses was at Pitt. Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions took care of one payback.

They beat the Panthers, 33-14, in a game they were favored to win by three touchdowns. This week, they host Georgia State, then head to Iowa next week for their first road trip. On Oct. 21, for those who like to plan ahead, they'll host Michigan.

They should have plenty to remember, although James Franklin did say that this felt about the same as rolling Akron in the opener. Sure, it did. This was the first time the Panthers had been to State College since 1999. In their opener, they'd blown a 21-point lead against Youngstown State before getting by in overtime.

It was the largest crowd in Happy Valley (109,898) in nearly a decade. Penn State led 28-3 early in the fourth quarter.

Trace McSorley, whose late end-zone interception ended a frantic rally last September, threw for three touchdowns on Saturday. Saquon Barkley scored twice, once on a reception. The Nits forced three turnovers (two interceptions). Pitt had the ball for over 38 minutes.

The teams will play the next two years, but aren't scheduled yet to meet after that. Shame. But the landscape has changed, and it ain't going back. Especially now that the Big Ten plays nine conference games.

Penn State was one of the best teams in the country at the end of last season. It looks to be among the best at the start of this one. Exactly how good this group can become is the only unknown.

In the first meeting since 2012, the Owls squandered a 13-point third-quarter lead but got by on a 49-yard field goal by Aaron Boumerhi with a minute to go at Lincoln Financial.

Villanova, ranked sixth in FCS, had tied it on a 34-yard FG by Drew Kresge at 3:29.

The Owls, coming off a 49-16 loss at Notre Dame for new coach Geoff Collins, were outgained in the second half, 273-111. They'll host Massachusetts (0-3) on Friday. Then there's two huge American Athletic Conference assignments: at South Florida and against Houston here.

The Owls made it 10-0 just before the end of the first half on a 1-yard run by Nick Sharga, going 75 yards in eight plays after Kresge had hit the left upright on a 42-yard attempt.

They rushed for 79 yards on 27 attempts. But new quarterback Logan Marchi completed 20 of 34 for 274 yards. Good sign.
Villanova, which opened with a 38-35 win at then-No. 17 Lehigh in coach Mark Ferrante's debut, had beaten the Owls in 2003 and 2009 and nearly won again in 2010. In 2011 and, '12, Temple won handily.

Zach Bednarczyk completed 27 of 41 (to nine receivers) for a career-high 382 yards and a score. And there were some drops. The Wildcats got to the Temple 44 with nine seconds showing before fumbling. But by that point they had no timeouts left anyway.

The Wildcats gets winless Lafayette at home Saturday night, the only time they'll be on the Main Line in their first five games.

FYI: Penn, your two-time defending Ivy League champion, opens Saturday with Ohio Dominican (0-2) at Franklin Field. Maybe the Ivies should try starting a week earlier and have a bye between games five and six. It's a thought.

Ohio State – It's maybe OK to lose at Oklahoma at home, even if you're supposed to be all that. But probably not by 15. And whatever happened to Bob Stoops?

Baylor – You know how I feel about Matt Rhule. But I'm sure nobody down there thought they'd lose to Liberty and now Texas-San Antonio to start this new era. Bears visit Duke next, before hosting Oklahoma.

Northwestern – Speaking of which, shouldn't be losing at Duke by 24 as a slight favorite when you're supposed to be a possible factor in the Big Ten West.

Boston College – I know the Eagles aren't much. But if you're coach Steve Addazio, you probably don't need to be losing at home by 24 to Wake Forest, a team you beat in last year's regular-season finale. Just saying.

Arkansas – It's OK to lose to TCU, even at home. But you might want to score more than seven points.

Dishonorable Mention – Rutgers. Lost at home by three to Eastern Michigan. It was ESU's first win ever against a Big Ten team, in its 39th try. And its first over a Power-5 team in 59 games, going back three decades.

1. Alabama (2-0). Beat Fresno State, 41-10. Next: Saturday vs. Colorado State. Always the one to beat.

2. Clemson (2-0). Beat Auburn, 14-6. Next: Saturday at Louisville. Beat the Cardinals by six at home last October.

3. Oklahoma (2-0). Beat Ohio State, 31-16. Next: Saturday vs. Tulane. Could be unbeaten when it goes to Oklahoma State on Nov. 4. So could Oklahoma State.

4. Southern California (2-0). Beat Stanford, 42-24. Next: Saturday vs. Texas. Has played the Longhorns five times. Only loss was in the last meeting, in the 2006 Rose Bowl, for the national title.

5. Penn State (2-0). Beat Pitt, 33-14. Next: vs. Georgia State. Can only hope to contain the Panthers.

6. Washington (2-0). Beat Montana, 63-7. Next: vs. Fresno State. Why can't the Huskies please play somebody with a pulse out of conference?

7. Michigan (2-0). Beat Cincinnati, 36-14. Next: Saturday vs. Air Force. This is the third meeting. Falcons almost won at Big House in 2012.

8. Wisconsin (2-0). Beat Florida Atlantic, 31-14. Next: Saturday at Brigham Young. The third meeting, first one in Utah. BYU lost by 10 in Madison four years ago.

9. Ohio State (1-1). Lost to Oklahoma, 31-16. Next: Saturday vs. Army. Maybe Penn State can win in the Horseshoe, too.

10. Florida State (0-1). The game against Louisiana-Monroe was canceled because of Hurricane Irma. Next: Saturday vs. Miami. Remember when this was the game every year? The Seminoles have taken last seven; the last three were by decided by one, five, and four.

Five more to ponder: Oklahoma State (2-0), Georgia (2-0), Auburn (1-1), Miami (1-0) and LSU (2-0).