Penn State prediction vs. Villanova: Making the most of the right kind of breather

Penn State will play its third ranked team in four games Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium.

Yes, the Villanova Wildcats do play a respected version of football in their own realm.

Which should provide yet another perfect kind of challenge.

For most Power Five opponents, the Wildcats could be a complicated invitation in September. They are well coached and organized and feature talented layers of athletes hell-bent on winning their league.

They are undefeated and one of the top teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). They carry a No. 11 national ranking.

They will be eager to prove themselves and try running through the Nittany Lions at every turn.

Which is a good thing for coach James Franklin's growing team that still has plenty of tightening and possibilities. You can only give second- and third-teamers so much field time when you're trying to survive highly regarded opponents like Wisconsin and Auburn.

The Lions did that and now they can continue smoothing out their rough edges just as season-defining Big Ten challenges come into view. They will need to run the ball better, for one, if they hope to finish games in the near-future. 

They certainly can get more big-play impact from young defenders such as linebackers Brandon Smith and Curtis Jacobs. And simply more work for backups who could find themselves in the line of fire at any time: quarterback TaQuan Roberson, running back John Lovett, defensive end Smith Vilbert.

They must win Saturday on their terms if they want to get where they can by mid-October and November.

It will be about how they go about beating a fight-hard Villanova team.

The Lions appear motivated and bought-in to make the most of this kind of day. To not waste an opportunity to prepare for more critical days.

No matter what it looks like by the name or the numbers.

Bodani's pick: Penn State 48, Villanova 10 

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on Twitter @YDRPennState.