The Matt Campbell era is off to a 2-0 start for the Penn State Nittany Lions, although they are coming off an underwhelming 27-9 victory over the Temple Owls last week. This upcoming weekend, Penn State is set to take on Buffalo in a matchup that should continue to build momentum for the Nittany Lions before they get into the Big Ten section of their schedule.

Here is my score prediction for the Penn State-Buffalo contest and how I see this game going, including a continued breakout star, an improved offensive outing, and some other key storylines to consider.

Final score prediction: Penn State 42, Buffalo 7

While Penn State has been a little bit up and down through the first two weeks, Buffalo is simply not a good football team right now.

The Nittany Lions’ offense, led by quarterback Rocco Becht, has been pretty efficient for the most part during his time in Happy Valley. I think he has his best overall outing this weekend for Penn State.

I am buying full stock into sophomore wide receiver Koby Howard and his early-season sophomore breakout. Expect him to go over 100 yards again, with the bulk of that production coming in the first half. The Penn State offensive line is incredibly talented and has had some great moments through two games. I think they get off to a fast start and dominate this contest from the opening whistle.

Look for running backs Carson Hansen and James Peoples to rip off some early chunk runs. This should be an impressive offensive showing across the board for the Nittany Lions. The tight end position got more involved in the passing game a week ago, and there’s no reason to believe Iowa State transfer Benjamin Brahmer doesn’t have another strong week.

Penn State’s defense continues to find its identity

On defense, this Penn State team is still searching for its complete identity, although they’ve gotten some great performances early on. Iowa State transfer linebacker Caleb Bacon has spent a lot of time on the edge so far for the Nittany Lions and is coming off a tremendous week against Temple.

He’s been arguably the best overall player for Penn State through two games.

I believe Bacon is going to harass the Buffalo backfield, put pressure on the quarterback, and create some big plays. Linebacker Tony Rojas is one of the better overall athletes in the entire country at his position, and this feels like a game where he creates a couple of playmaking moments, including perhaps a tackle for loss or a forced turnover.

On the back end, I don’t expect Penn State to get challenged much, although I do predict an interception for free safety Jeremiah Cooper. Cooper spent a lot of time at both cornerback and safety during his Iowa State career, and that versatility could end up being a huge selling point for this defense as they get into the Big Ten schedule.

A dominant step forward for Matt Campbell’s program

From start to finish, this feels like a dominant victory for the Nittany Lions, who I think will only give up a touchdown in garbage time at the end. The 35-point victory margin is even more absolute and dominant than the final score prediction might indicate.

This is another good step for a Penn State program still finding its full footing under new head coach Matt Campbell, and I expect the Nittany Lions to use this one to clean things up and build confidence before Big Ten play arrives.