The Lions also return starting TE Mike Gesicki, who had 48 catches for 679 yards last year, as well as five TDs— all of which also set school records. With record setting talents lacing it up again this season, it becomes easy to see why Franklin has that 47-point bar set for the team’s offensive production. It is doable. It is all the more possible given that the OL returns four starters and adds a four-star recruit in Michal Menet, who was redshirted last year. 

The defense returns seven starters, including Jason Cabinda and Marcus Allen. Allen contemplated entering the NFL draft, but PSU is quite pleased to return one of its top defensive talents in a unit that was pretty decent last year. PSU gave up 25.4 points per game and ranked top-50 in rush and pass defense. Just being that solid again would be enough to propel this team to contention, given the beaming things we’ve already touched on with their offensive talents. There are some question marks in the secondary, particularly at the cornerback positions, where Grant Haley is one certainty but the other spot remains murky. 

The Nittany Lions have a top place kicker in Tyler Davis, who nailed 22 of 24 field goals last year while being named to the Big Ten First team. Punter Blake Gillikan averaged 42.8 yards per punt, which set a PSU freshman record. The Lions will have to find better punt and kick returners, but should have enough depth to field a decent option after failing to have done so a season ago.

It is hard to be too bullish on PSU with its top players returning, and to see the team be even better than last year’s  success should not surprise fans. No one expected PSU to win the Big Ten last year, but this year the Lions will have a target on their back when they face Ohio State, Michigan and the other powerhouses in the conference. There can be no more sneaking up on them. Perhaps Franklin wants it that way. High expectations can drive players to achieve greater things still, and this team has enough talent, particularly on offense, to contend for a National Title. Certainly at nearly +2000, PSU makes one of the more interesting value bets in that Futures bet.

The Michigan Wolverines finished 7-2 in Big Ten Play last year while posting a scoring average of 40.3 points per game. Things get interesting when considering that starting QB Wilton Speight returns to improve on that mark. 

Speight will now have Pep Hamilton coordinating the pass game, and Michigan will still keep up the long-ball approach that was so successful a season ago. Speight completed 204 of 331 passes for 2,538 yards and 18 TDs with just seven interceptions, although there will be some new challenges with a rebuilt offense around him. The hope for the Wolverines is that he gets more help from the ground game. Last year, Michigan ranked No. 33 in rush yardage (212 per game), but it really needs to step that up to make Speight more effective still. 
