Staff Picks: Predicting Indiana's Week 11 clash with Penn State

Indiana football remained undefeated last week following a blowout road win over Maryland.

Now, the No. 2 Hoosiers are set for their penultimate road test of the regular season. Indiana travels east to Penn State Saturday for a clash with the Nittany Lions.

Each week throughout the season, our staff will break down the upcoming matchup and make their predictions on how things will play out. From big-picture storylines to score forecasts, our weekly picks aim to give fans a snapshot of expectations heading into game day.

This week, the focus is squarely on the Hoosiers’ road trip to Beaver Stadium to take on the Nittany Lions.

Zach’s Pick

Excluding Oregon, there’s a case to be made that Penn State is the most talented team on Indiana’s entire 2025 scheduled. Yes, the Nittany Lions have lost five straight. Yes, they’ve lost their starting quarterback for the season with an injury. Yes, they’re playing under an interim head coach right now. But despite all that, the skeleton of what made this team a top one or two team in the country in the preseason is still there. With that being said, maybe Penn State was a little bit overrated coming into the year. Also, this Indiana team may be the best team in the country. I understand that Indiana has never gone on the road to Beaver Stadium and won. But if Northwestern can do it — the Wildcats went on the road to beat this Penn State just under a month ago — then Indiana, who has a case to be the No. 1 team in the country, should be able to do it too. I think the Hoosiers get it done on Saturday, once again proving that there will be no let down as Indiana continues to set its sights on the Big Ten Championship and beyond. There will come a time in this weekend’s contest in which, as Curt Cignetti likes to put it, Indiana breaks Penn State’s will and starts to pull away.

Prediction: Indiana 38, Penn State 17

Alec’s Pick

diana heads into a road matchup with Penn State that has vastly different implications that what was expected just a month ago. This will be the first home game that PSU has since firing James Franklin — how will the fans respond? The last time they were there, there were boo’s from the students and fans watching a loss to Northwestern. Indiana comes in with the same 0-0 mindset and ‘one play at a time’ mantra that has elevated them into the No. 2 team in the country. With no Drew Allar (season-ending injury), QB play for the Nittany Lions has been relatively non-existent. In two starts since the injury, Ethan Grunkemeyer has just a 50.1 passing grade and zero touchdowns. He doesn’t stretch the field and has struggled to move the ball through the air. On the flip side they have one of the best RBs in the nation in Kaytron Allen, one of two players to have a touchdown in every game this season. His touches have increased since interim HC Terry Smith took over, up from 10.8 carries a game in the first five games, to 21.7 a game in the last three. If Indiana can limit the damage he does on the ground, this may be a runaway. I just don’t think Penn State has much to play for at the moment and no matter how much talent is still on that roster, Indiana will be able to overcome any adversity that comes its way on Saturday.

Prediction: Indiana 35, Penn State 13

Colin’s Pick

Against the Nittany Lions on Saturday, Indiana has a chance to do pretty historic things. The Hoosiers look to win at Beaver Stadium for the first time in their history, but also improve to 10-0 for the second time ever, and in the second straight season under Curt Cignetti. While a road game at Penn State isn’t as daunting as we thought it would be ahead of the season, it still presents a challenge, and it won’t be a cakewalk. Allen and Singleton are two elite running backs, but with Indiana’s defense, I don’t expect many points out of Penn State. Mendoza and the offense will look to avoid another slow start, but I think they’ll figure it out like they always do, and score 30-plus with ease. Give me the Hoosiers, as they continue to rewrite the history books and ascend further toward a perfect regular season.

Prediction: Indiana 38, Penn State 14

Drew’s Pick

Coming into the season, there were two games on the schedule that many thought Indiana had little to no chance of winning. The first was against Oregon, a game the Hoosiers won 30-20. The second was this week’s matchup, where Indiana comes in as a double-digit road favorite. Penn State’s 2025 collapse happened in an instant as they fell from being the No. 2 team in the country to a team still searching for their first conference win in November. On paper, the Hoosiers are the better football team, but this Nittany Lions roster is still filled with NFL talent. On the road in a place where Indiana has never won before, this game could be more difficult than expected, but the Hoosiers have passed every test they’ve seen this season. I think Penn State keeps it close in the first half, like they did last week against Ohio State. Ultimately, I believe Indiana will have too much firepower on both sides of the football and pull away to a comfortable win in Happy Valley.

Prediction: Indiana 34, Penn State 13

Kyler’s Pick

It’s fair to say that Penn State is not the Penn State that we are used to. They have had the complete opposite of season that Indiana football has had however, it is still a road environment against a talented team for the Hoosiers. Penn State got beaten handily by Ohio State while Indiana is coming off a blowout road win over Maryland. I dont think we are going to see Indiana blow Penn State out quite like we did vs Maryland, but I still be believe the Hoosiers win by at least 2 scores.

Prediction: Indiana 34, Penn State 14

Coach Griff’s Pick

I believe Indiana walks into Happy Valley and shocks the college football world. Penn State leads the all-time series 25–2 and Indiana has never won at Beaver Stadium, but this Hoosier team is built differently. The combination of Fernando Mendoza’s efficiency, the physical one-two punch of Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, and a defense that continues to win red-zone battles gives Indiana the advantage in every critical phase. If IU controls the tempo and forces Penn State into 3rd-and-long situations, the Hoosiers can take the crowd out of the game early. I expect Indiana to dictate the line of scrimmage, limit explosive runs from Penn State, and make a statement on the national stage.

Prediction: Indiana 31, Penn State 14

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