For the first time in history, the Penn State football team is 0-5.

Also, the Nittany Lions are the first preseason Top 10 team to start a season 0-5 since the AP started its college football poll in 1936.

As each week passes, the possibility of Penn State not winning a game becomes more likely.

Right now the team is clearly broken and I believe the only way to start fixing the issues is to get a win. It’s obvious the coaches and players have a confidence problem and the only way for them to regain any sort of belief in themselves is to be able to walk off the field after four quarters with a victory in hand.

Each game from now until the end of the season on Dec. 19 is a must-win game for this program. With each loss, more doubt is cast on the coaching staff and the byproduct of that will either be the dismissal of head coach James Franklin and his staff or the loss of top tier recruits interested or committed to the program.

There are many aspects of the game that Penn State isn’t executing well right now, but in my opinion there are two determining factors of why it hasn’t been able to secure wins over the past few weeks.

The first one has been poor quarterback play. Second-year starter Sean Clifford has obviously regressed and has turned into a turnover machine (eight interceptions) and back-up Will Levis is a running quarterback with a strong, but raw arm, and didn’t make the most of his opportunity to start last week against Iowa. Clifford (two interceptions) and Levis (two fumbles) combined for four turnovers in a 20-point loss to the Hawkeyes.

Presently, Penn State has a turnover ratio of -1.8 per game and are minus-nine on the season - and you’re not going to win many games turning the football over at that rate. Either Clifford or Levis need to do a better of taking care of the football or the losses will continue.

The second factor absolutely killing the Nittany Lions this season is the uncharacteristically bad play of the defense.

I will say the turnovers and sudden change haven’t helped, but still the defense simply hasn’t been good enough. Poor tackling, lack of pressure on the quarterback (just five sacks) and the inability to create turnovers has helped create the 0-5 hole. Right now, the Penn State defense is giving up a staggering 36 points per game.

I would love to see youngsters Curtis Jacobs and Lance Dixon more in the mix this week at linebacker. Jacobs and Dixon possess more speed and athleticism than current starters Ellis Brooks (MLB) and Jesse Luketa (WILL). Missed tackles and not getting to the edge and making plays have been an issue for the Nittany Lions’ linebacker group.

When the Big Ten schedule was re-released after the conference decided to once again reinstate play, the Penn State matchup with Michigan (ABC, Noon EST) Thanksgiving weekend looked to be a good one and it was expected to have conference championship implications. That is obviously no longer the case.

The Wolverines are also struggling mightily with a 2-3 record and are coming off a scare from Rutgers last week where it took them three overtimes to defeat the Scarlet Knights.

This game all comes down to Penn State’s pass offense. Michigan has had trouble defending the pass, giving up 273.4 yards per game - which ranks 102nd in the country. Whoever starts at quarterback for Penn State could have a nice day through the air.

The Wolverines love playing aggressive man-to-man defense and one of the few bright spots for the Nittany Lions has been the play of junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Since 2000, Dotson is the only Penn State receiver to total at least 30 receptions, 525 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in the first five games of a season. Dotson earned his third 100-yard receiving game of the season with eight catches for 139 yards and a touchdown against Iowa. True freshmen Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith have also shown flashes this season, but once again it all comes down to Clifford or Levis taking care of the football.

A unit to watch today will be the Penn State offensive line. The Nittany Lions have been up and down up front, but they will face off against a beat up Michigan defensive front. If they can give the quarterback time and free up some room for the run game, there is potential this afternoon for a much-needed offensive breakout.

I think the Penn State defense plays better in this one and as I mentioned, I think this could potentially be a breakout game for the Nittany Lions’ offense.

My pick is Penn State 31, Michigan 24.

For the first time in history, the Penn State football team is 0-5.

Also, the Nittany Lions are the first preseason Top 10 team to start a season 0-5 since the AP started its college football poll in 1936.

As each week passes, the possibility of Penn State not winning a game becomes more likely.

Right now the team is clearly broken and I believe the only way to start fixing the issues is to get a win. It’s obvious the coaches and players have a confidence problem and the only way for them to regain any sort of belief in themselves is to be able to walk off the field after four quarters with a victory in hand.

Each game from now until the end of the season on Dec. 19 is a must-win game for this program. With each loss, more doubt is cast on the coaching staff and the byproduct of that will either be the dismissal of head coach James Franklin and his staff or the loss of top tier recruits interested or committed to the program.

There are many aspects of the game that Penn State isn’t executing well right now, but in my opinion there are two determining factors of why it hasn’t been able to secure wins over the past few weeks.

The first one has been poor quarterback play. Second-year starter Sean Clifford has obviously regressed and has turned into a turnover machine (eight interceptions) and back-up Will Levis is a running quarterback with a strong, but raw arm, and didn’t make the most of his opportunity to start last week against Iowa. Clifford (two interceptions) and Levis (two fumbles) combined for four turnovers in a 20-point loss to the Hawkeyes.

Presently, Penn State has a turnover ratio of -1.8 per game and are minus-nine on the season - and you’re not going to win many games turning the football over at that rate. Either Clifford or Levis need to do a better of taking care of the football or the losses will continue.

The second factor absolutely killing the Nittany Lions this season is the uncharacteristically bad play of the defense.

I will say the turnovers and sudden change haven’t helped, but still the defense simply hasn’t been good enough. Poor tackling, lack of pressure on the quarterback (just five sacks) and the inability to create turnovers has helped create the 0-5 hole. Right now, the Penn State defense is giving up a staggering 36 points per game.

I would love to see youngsters Curtis Jacobs and Lance Dixon more in the mix this week at linebacker. Jacobs and Dixon possess more speed and athleticism than current starters Ellis Brooks (MLB) and Jesse Luketa (WILL). Missed tackles and not getting to the edge and making plays have been an issue for the Nittany Lions’ linebacker group.

When the Big Ten schedule was re-released after the conference decided to once again reinstate play, the Penn State matchup with Michigan (ABC, Noon EST) Thanksgiving weekend looked to be a good one and it was expected to have conference championship implications. That is obviously no longer the case.

The Wolverines are also struggling mightily with a 2-3 record and are coming off a scare from Rutgers last week where it took them three overtimes to defeat the Scarlet Knights.

This game all comes down to Penn State’s pass offense. Michigan has had trouble defending the pass, giving up 273.4 yards per game - which ranks 102nd in the country. Whoever starts at quarterback for Penn State could have a nice day through the air.

The Wolverines love playing aggressive man-to-man defense and one of the few bright spots for the Nittany Lions has been the play of junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson. Since 2000, Dotson is the only Penn State receiver to total at least 30 receptions, 525 yards receiving and six receiving touchdowns in the first five games of a season. Dotson earned his third 100-yard receiving game of the season with eight catches for 139 yards and a touchdown against Iowa. True freshmen Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith have also shown flashes this season, but once again it all comes down to Clifford or Levis taking care of the football.

A unit to watch today will be the Penn State offensive line. The Nittany Lions have been up and down up front, but they will face off against a beat up Michigan defensive front. If they can give the quarterback time and free up some room for the run game, there is potential this afternoon for a much-needed offensive breakout.

I think the Penn State defense plays better in this one and as I mentioned, I think this could potentially be a breakout game for the Nittany Lions’ offense.

My pick is Penn State 31, Michigan 24.