Oh yes you are absolutely correct. Most of this involves no more analysis from these “experts” other than ND beat Georgia and Penn State only beat SMU and Boise and thus ND MUST be better.
No need to watch the game: 10 CBS 'experts' say we lose
- Thread starter Jerry
- Start date
What would really seal the deal for me is playing tOSU for the championship as big underdogs. I was just thinking of how similar the feeling would be to how it felt going into the 1987 Fiesta Bowl game against Miami, especially after losing the previous year to Oklahoma.
For sure, playing Ohio State this year for all the marbles would be on par with that legendary Miami game 35+ years ago.
Nobody gave us a chance to win that Fiesta Bowl. Everybody picked Miami. Yet even so, the point spread for that long-ago game was only 7.
Vegas knew we had an historically good D and had beaten everyone on our schedule, to include dominating then #2 Alabama in their stadium.
Miami was the solid...but not overwhelming...favorite because they had rolled through their schedule without being seriously challenged, were stocked with NFL talent on both sides of the ball, and were seen as the team of the decade...rightly so.
If we end up playing Ohio State on January 20, I'm guessing we'd be more than a 7-point underdog. Our 2024 team is not at the level, comparatively speaking, of the 1986 team, which passed every test during the regular season whereas our 2024 edition did not.
But all this is daydreaming. Gotta get by Notre Dame first. In case nobody's heard, we're underdogs to do that.
Most head coaches would have gained the same exact reputation if they played in the same 7 team division that we have played in the last years.
Sure--Michigan has no problem beating them. Even without Harbaugh. Cristobal, Ferentz, Smart, Saban, Riley, Dabo, even Jeff Brohm have beat them since Franklin has. Would any f those coaches have lost 7 straight times to Ohio State with our talent level? Maybe--probably Ferentz and maybe Cristobal but it's hard not to understand the reputation.
And he can change it all on Thursday
Nd’s defense is fast. Especially laterally. This will be an interesting game.Link below.
So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)
Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.
I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:
College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket
With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoffwww.cbssports.com
Will be watching at an Irish pub with my confirmation sponsor, cheering for the lions.
Just drove up to dc tonight from Lexington (sadly, too late to pay my respects to president carter at the procession), and literally for the first time in my life, caught five minutes of finebaums show when I flopped on the couch. You have got to be kidding me this guy has a show. 57 channels and nothing on indeed.
Go show me a QB on that time that was close to Allar.
PSU was out gained something like 440 plus to 160 or so. We had one drive for a TD and scored another on a drive from inside the ten after a Conlan into.
The actual numbers are 445 to 160 for PSU. They had 22 first downs to eight for us and 285 yards passing vs our 53.
Georgia outgained ND 300 to 244. We're much better offensively than PSU in 1986 and Allar is much better than the Heisman trophy winning Vinny Testaverde.
I want Texas vs PSU with the lions winning. Heads would explode.
With the constant slow starts and Brain Farts, i.e., Oregon, 5 PF's and 2 interceptions, we will definitely loose this game. We could have beaten Oregon, no doubt about it. Coach K has to stay away from those trick plays which has helped to bury us. No throw-backs from the 15YL with only 3 yards for a first with a guy like Allen who was tearing up the field. And, a 3rd and 1 and we throw a 15 yard pass. Makes Coach K, the offensive genius look like an idiot!
That's obviously our best path but an all Big Ten final would literally cause heads to explode. Literally lol
I am going to rewatch that 87 Fiesta bowl to see if my memory is accurate, but here is what sticks out as I think about it:
That PSU team did not have the talent but did have the discipline to beat Miami. The game was basically "smart" versus "dumb." Vinny and Jimmy were so greedy and impatient that they threw right into our pass coverage. My recollection is that they could have just run the ball down our throats and won easily, but Jimmy wanted it to be lopsided -- quick scores. In the end, greed would cost him.
This 2024/25 team does not at all seem the same. We will see if they have the discipline to stay at home and cover those read option runs -- to play "smart." Or will they swarm, lose contain, and give up big plays? We will see if they are smart enough to avoid stupid penalties, to contain their emotions, to get up after a play, huddle, and do it again in complete, business-like focus.
If this team wants to be like the PSU of old and win a championship it will take an effort that is both physical and cerebral. Coaches especially. They will have to make the right calls.
Unfortunately, this team by its nature seems too emotional to me. It is the Franklin MO. I expect to lose by someone making a mental error. It could even be a coach.
I love crow. Mine has been in the freezer a long time. Ready as ever to eat it on Thursday night.
Probably osullivans or four courts in Arlington.
Sadly, I’ve not been down to the dubliner since my son graduated from Gonzaga
Last edited:
Link below.
So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)
Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.
I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:
College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket
With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff
I like the positivity on here tonight......and I'm with you on a PSU win. With one caveat. No foolish penalties for the Lions, especially the self inflicted variety. I'd love to see Coach JF get over the hump on this one. He can!
Used to work across the street from the dubliner. Spent a few lunches there and elbowed my way to the bar for a guiness on quite a few Saturday nights. Probably my all time favorite bar. Unless it has changed quite a bit, I can't picture it as much of a sports bar.
I don't know about the lack of talent, Knight. For my money that 1986 D was the greatest in Penn State history, which is saying quite a lot. Zone defense that night played to perfection by a very talented and, as you say, disciplined bunch of veterans.
As to your comment about the Miami strategy, they actually did gain a fair amount of yards...lots more than we did. And on that heart-stopping final drive, with the ball inside our 5-yard line and our D pretty worn out, they had three plays to score and very well might have if they had simply run the ball. But no, Vinnie, who'd been exposed and flummoxed all night...and for my money never looked quite the same after that game...felt like he needed to be the hero. One sack, one incompletion, and one interception later, it was over.
The reality is...many experts are underestimating us because of Franklin but many people here also seem to he underestimating Notre Dame. ND is the only program I dislike in college football but they're far better than anyone we've beat this year. I think we can win but AK is going to have to put the ego aside and stop the "I'm going to run my offense and see if it works"...this isn't SMU or Boise. If we run effectively you keep running. Period. No need for 7 deep shots to Evans because he's fast.
Last edited:
In the 1986 national college football championship game, Penn State used a strategy we now know as the zone-blitz to intercept Vinny Testaverde five times and upset Jimmy Johnson and the Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.
We were dropping linemen into zone coverage while bringing an assortment of blitz' that had Vinnie and company confused and bewildered. And throwing many interceptions.
IIRC, this was the 1st time that the zone-blitz was utilized in college or professional football.
The Great Joe Paterno......
We could've beaten Oregon without those stupid penalties in the first half, 65 yards. You can't blame that on coaching that's the players.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda.
What we've been witnessing is a lack of discipline, followed by a lack of consequences, followed by a lack... It's the coaches who need to apply some consequences, like pulling the player out of the game.
I never said it was my narrative, I'm just mocking yours. You hoped we'd lose to SMU or Boise so you could get on here and tell us all how Franklin should be fired. We didn't so now you need to frame it like it's a coaching failure if we don't make the national championship game.
But we're playing with house money now so even if we lose you'll be miserable for at least another year.
We are also witnessing a team that has won its 1st 2 playoff games convincingly and has made it to the college football playoff final four.
The discipline problem that you allude to is not unique to just our program. The new rules have given the players considerably more leverage in the process and we are still sorting through the ramifications as we hopefully achieve an equilibrium point that is good for the players, the team and the fans.
Try to enjoy the ride. Although we are certainly not the favorites, I definitely believe that we have a punchers chance....
Beating SMU and Boise doesn't mean we're playing with house money. If we beat ND that's true...especially against Ohio State
I love it. Frankly, we don't deserve better consideration because we've played poorly against OSU and Oregon. In both games, we were down early and couldn't catch up. I was out of the country and finally watched Boise. Frankly, we didn't play well. Very sloppy game with a major missed assignment and 100 yards in penalties plus a turnover. We were simply physically better than Boise and SMU. We will have to play better against ND. They are talented and well-coached.Link below.
So CBS Sports employs 11 writers posing as "experts" -- just ask them -- on college football...and 10 of the 11 are picking Notre Dame on Thursday evening. (All 11 have Ohio State beating Texas...and all 11 have Ohio State winning it all.)
Icing on the cake: Paul Finebaum is picking...wait for it...Notre Dame as well. There's a surprise.
I hope Franklin is copying off this CBS piece for every member of the team. Great motivational material:
College Football Playoff predictions: Expert picks for semifinal games, 2025 national championship bracket
With the quarterfinals now complete, our CBS Sports experts pick the rest of the 2024-25 College Football Playoff
Can we finally play a crisp, mistake-free game against a talented, blue-chip opponent? If we can, we'll win.
Dennis Dodd picks us to lose by 2 saying that we have the better roster and more talent. The predictions are all based on Franklin. Here's his chance against a top 5 team in which he does have more talent. Must win to change his image.
LOL..yeah ok dude. You don't know anything about my mindset. JF shouldn't be fired, that's ridiculous. I'm just not brainwashed to thinking that never eclipsing where we currently are and being a national fraud on the 'big stage' in 'big games' is fine and we shouldn't expect more. We are playing with house money if we advance to the CFP Finals...not vs ND...You think we are playing with house money b/c we beat two mid-majors, so to speak, lol. You are proving my point. We have a real chance tomorrow to flip the script and change the whole program around...I just don't live in la la land thinking that we should measure ourselves vs SMU and BSU.
Last edited:
I tried but I hate Franklin too because I don't think once we get to the semis there's no longer expectations
This is a great season--it has a chance to be a special one with just one more win
I don't want Franklin fired. I don't want any changes. I just want results--sooner than later--against P2 programs/ND when they're good.
Yep, exactly what I said. Amazing how soft our fanbase can be with expectations. Any candidate would love to coach at PSU following JF...the pressure here is virtualy nil. Just make a NY6 bowl and most are happy.
Lived in Annapolis, worked in D.C. Didn't get to Alexandria very much.
Watch the Obligatory PSU pregame show. Kevin Horne said he struggles to pick PSU because Franklin never wins these type of games where PSU is a 2 pt underdog. Then he picked PSU because he didn't want to pick against them on what might be their last show of the season.
P.S. Nobody on the panel said that PSU has more talent than ND.
I just quickly checked the On3 recruiting rankings from 2019 -- present for both teams...and the difference is negligible..like decimal points. A couple years we have had better classes, and vice versa. Neither team has demonstrably more than the other.
I truly think people don't like expectations--that's why they like everyone picking Notre Dame because it we win it's a great win (it's is regardless) but if we lose they can say "we weren't supposed to win"
