2012 TicketCity Bowl: Why Penn State Will Dominate the Houston Cougars

The No. 22 Penn State Nittany Lions face off against the No. 19 Houston Cougars in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl on January 2nd, in what some are calling one of the best non-BCS bowls of the bowl season..

There have been rumblings from Penn State players and fans alike regarding their disdain for playing in such a menial bowl game, especially after a 9-3 season.  Well, whether Penn State likes it or not, the TicketCity Bowl is the bowl they got and they better make the most of the opportunity they have.

Let me preface this next statement by saying that I do indeed know Houston has the nation's top scoring offense in addition to the nation's top passing offense, but I still think Penn State will dominate Houston on both sides of the ball.

For Houston, the 2012 TicketCity Bowl merely means another trip to an average bowl game, whereas the matchup with Houston means an opportunity for Penn State to prove their legitimacy to the college football world.

Penn State didn’t win a single game against a ranked team this season, losing to Alabama, Nebraska and Wisconsin.  Playing the 22^nd ranked Houston Cougars provides the Nittany Lions with one final shot at beating a ranked team this season and in doing so proving that they can hang with the ranked teams of college football.

Twelve Penn State seniors, including DE Devon Still, WR Derek Moye, S Drew Astorino and CB D’Anton Lynn will be playing in their final game as a Nittany Lion, and the thought of ending their careers with a loss will be motivation to upend the Houston Cougars.

Penn State has a lot to prove in their matchup with Houston.  They must prove that they can actually get pressure on the quarterback, play strong man coverage in the secondary and actually win games they aren’t supposed to win.

While the 2012 TicketCity Bowl won’t mean much in terms of the future of Penn State’s football program, but it is Penn State’s final chance to show the college football world that they will be relevant next year, in spite of all the allegations surrounding the program.

Penn State’s offense will not have trouble with Houston’s defense, who hasn’t been able to stop much of anything this season, pulling in an overall defensive ranking of 68^th in the nation.  The key to Penn state dominating offensively will be the play of running back Silas Redd.  If Redd can carry the ball 30-plus times, which isn’t too much of a stretch with the starting QB Matt McGloin being sidelined with a head injury, the Nittany Lions will be able to control the tempo of the game.

If Penn State can control the tempo of the game, they can keep the ball out of Houston QB Case Keenum’s hands, which will help Penn State’s defense dominate on the defensive side of the ball.   If Houston get’s behind, Keenum will try to do too much, which result in bad passes and turnovers against the likes of a defense he hasn’t even come close to seeing all season.

Keenum will be introduced to what a legitimate Big Ten defense looks like, and he will be thankful that he took his talents to Houston and the weak talent of Conference-USA.

Penn State is going to dominate Houston on both sides of the ball because they are the better overall team, they have more to lose if they don’t win and they have the most to prove in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl.

Final Prediction:  Penn State 34, Houston 28