Pump the brakes

[IANit]

Maybe it's the other strong starts that fizzled out, most recently last season...but I think our fan base is riding too high after the first 3 games.

Yes, there's tons to be optimistic about--from #10 to Abdul to Clifford's steadiness to changes in the OC philosophy--but it's too early to be going bonkers for this team.

Even in the national media I'm hearing "PSU went on the road and beat two Power 5 teams"...but Purdue is at best a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team. At worst, they're in the bottom 4. And Auburn--while a vaunted SEC team--is one of the worst Auburn teams they've had in a long time. I watched their first two weeks of play...squeaking past two abysmal teams. There's a reason they were picked 7th by the media out of 7 SEC West teams.

I like the growth I've seen from week 1 to week 3, but I'm pumping the brakes that this is truly a team that can beat 2 of our 3 Octobers opponents in that brutal stretch (at UM, Minny, OSU). If history holds serve, we'll lose at least 2 and probably all 3 of those (Minnesota being a letdown/lookahead loss that Franklin's teams are famous for).

How many of the players on this Auburn team were here last year when they lost to Alabama in triple OT? Quite a few of them. Certainly, they lost some good players to graduation/NFL/transfer. But a bad SEC team is still a pretty good team in the big scheme of things. To go on the road and beat them 41-12 is impressive. Purdue lost to us and what I think is going to be a good Syracuse team (3-0 so far) at their place. This win will look better as the season goes on, I believe.

There's a lot of reason for optimism not only this for the rest of this year but next year. Having a running game alone is a huge upgrade over last year. If you want to crown UM and Ohio State then crown them, but until they beat us I'm going to be excited about this team's possibilities and you can't stop me, Debbie Downer.

 

[LandoComando]

How many of the players on this Auburn team were here last year when they lost to Alabama in triple OT? Quite a few of them. Certainly, they lost some good players to graduation/NFL/transfer. But a bad SEC team is still a pretty good team in the big scheme of things. To go on the road and beat them 41-12 is impressive. Purdue lost to us and what I think is going to be a good Syracuse team (3-0 so far) at their place. This win will look better as the season goes on, I believe.

There's a lot of reason for optimism not only this for the rest of this year but next year. Having a running game alone is a huge upgrade over last year. If you want to crown UM and Ohio State then crown them, but until they beat us I'm going to be excited about this team's possibilities and you can't stop me, Debbie Downer.

Look at Auburn's schedule and the talk the Harsin could be fired as early as Monday.

What have you seen from Syracuse that makes you think they're a good team? They'll start 5-0 based on their schedule then there's a good chance they go 2-5 to end the year. Are we pretending a 7-5 (3-5) team is good?

There's optimism for Penn State simply based on our team and talent with a beneficial schedule but accepting Auburn and Purdue aren't good teams doesn't make someone negative or a Debbie Downer

 

[LandoComando]

Syracuse is losing 20-19 in the 4rh at home to Virginia. They very well may come back and win but let's please stop pretending bad teams are good or decent. We all know Virginia is garbage. Illinois made Virginia look like a high school team.

 

[Parkerdam555]

Look at Auburn's schedule and the talk the Harsin could be fired as early as Monday.

What have you seen from Syracuse that makes you think they're a good team? They'll start 5-0 based on their schedule then there's a good chance they go 2-5 to end the year. Are we pretending a 7-5 (3-5) team is good?

There's optimism for Penn State simply based on our team and talent with a beneficial schedule but accepting Auburn and Purdue aren't good teams doesn't make someone negative or a Debbie Downer

Except for one thing: Purdue is a good team. Auburn, the jury is still out.

 

[LandoComando]

Except for one thing: Purdue is a good team. Auburn, the jury is still out.

They aren't though--see Virginia almost beating Syracuse tonight. Purdue is 1-2 and plays in the extremely weak west.

I don't know how we're pretending the jury is out on Auburn

 

[SR108]

Maybe it's the other strong starts that fizzled out, most recently last season...but I think our fan base is riding too high after the first 3 games.

Yes, there's tons to be optimistic about--from #10 to Abdul to Clifford's steadiness to changes in the OC philosophy--but it's too early to be going bonkers for this team.

Even in the national media I'm hearing "PSU went on the road and beat two Power 5 teams"...but Purdue is at best a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team. At worst, they're in the bottom 4. And Auburn--while a vaunted SEC team--is one of the worst Auburn teams they've had in a long time. I watched their first two weeks of play...squeaking past two abysmal teams. There's a reason they were picked 7th by the media out of 7 SEC West teams.

I like the growth I've seen from week 1 to week 3, but I'm pumping the brakes that this is truly a team that can beat 2 of our 3 Octobers opponents in that brutal stretch (at UM, Minny, OSU). If history holds serve, we'll lose at least 2 and probably all 3 of those (Minnesota being a letdown/lookahead loss that Franklin's teams are famous for).

Breaks pumped!

 

[olelion]

this game

Maybe it's the other strong starts that fizzled out, most recently last season...but I think our fan base is riding too high after the first 3 games.

Yes, there's tons to be optimistic about--from #10 to Abdul to Clifford's steadiness to changes in the OC philosophy--but it's too early to be going bonkers for this team.

Even in the national media I'm hearing "PSU went on the road and beat two Power 5 teams"...but Purdue is at best a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team. At worst, they're in the bottom 4. And Auburn--while a vaunted SEC team--is one of the worst Auburn teams they've had in a long time. I watched their first two weeks of play...squeaking past two abysmal teams. There's a reason they were picked 7th by the media out of 7 SEC West teams.

I like the growth I've seen from week 1 to week 3, but I'm pumping the brakes that this is truly a team that can beat 2 of our 3 Octobers opponents in that brutal stretch (at UM, Minny, OSU). If history holds serve, we'll lose at least 2 and probably all 3 of those (Minnesota being a letdown/lookahead loss that Franklin's teams are famous for).

went pretty much the way I expected. Blah performance. Some thoughts....Purdue is not a bad football team. In fact they will show to be pretty good. Auburn? No clue, some good athletes but no motivation down there. Rushing yardage at 170ish yards isn't bad but time to worry about the kicking game.

 

[IANit]

Syracuse is losing 20-19 in the 4rh at home to Virginia. They very well may come back and win but let's please stop pretending bad teams are good or decent. We all know Virginia is garbage. Illinois made Virginia look like a high school

Maybe it's the other strong starts that fizzled out, most recently last season...but I think our fan base is riding too high after the first 3 games.

Yes, there's tons to be optimistic about--from #10 to Abdul to Clifford's steadiness to changes in the OC philosophy--but it's too early to be going bonkers for this team.

Even in the national media I'm hearing "PSU went on the road and beat two Power 5 teams"...but Purdue is at best a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team. At worst, they're in the bottom 4. And Auburn--while a vaunted SEC team--is one of the worst Auburn teams they've had in a long time. I watched their first two weeks of play...squeaking past two abysmal teams. There's a reason they were picked 7th by the media out of 7 SEC West teams.

I like the growth I've seen from week 1 to week 3, but I'm pumping the brakes that this is truly a team that can beat 2 of our 3 Octobers opponents in that brutal stretch (at UM, Minny, OSU). If history holds serve, we'll lose at least 2 and probably all 3 of those (Minnesota being a letdown/lookahead loss that Franklin's teams are famous for).

Speaking of pump the brakes - how about Michigan, Clemson and even Georgia?

 

[IANit]

They aren't though--see Virginia almost beating Syracuse tonight. Purdue is 1-2 and plays in the extremely weak west.

I don't know how we're pretending the jury is out on Auburn

I don’t see any great teams this year, including Georgia.

 

[LandoComando]

I don’t see any great teams this year, including Georgia.

Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama are still in a separate class IMO

 

[IANit]

Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama are still in a separate class IMO

Maybe, but Georgia was tested by Kent (a 2-pt conversion from making it a one-score game in the 4th quarter) and there are probably 70-80 teams better than Kent. Maybe they were just unfocused and will give all the top teams their best effort. Ohio State still has questions on defense in my view. Alabama just doesn't seem as dominant as normal. Texas may not be that bad with Ewers playing, but they lost to Texas Tech yesterday and struggled to put away UTSA.

 

[LandoComando]

Maybe, but Georgia was tested by Kent (a 2-pot conversion from making it a one-score game in the 4th quarter) and there are probably 70-80 teams better than Kent. Maybe they were just unfocused and will give all the top teams their best effort. Ohio State still has questions on defense in my view. Alabama just doesn't seem as dominant as normal. Texas may not be that bad with Ewers playing, but they lost to Texas Tech yesterday and struggled to put away UTSA.

Agreed--Bama hasn't been Bama thus far and that Texas game was concerning but that seems to be what Bama does once a year. We'll have a better idea after they play Arkansas but I expect those 3 teams to be in the playoff this year with Clemson, SEC east runner up and the Big Ten East runner up battling for the 4th spot. I hope the Big Ten and SEC both get two but if the SEC gets 3 then maybe we can get to 12 teams faster lol

 

[africamurphy]

Maybe, but Georgia was tested by Kent (a 2-pt conversion from making it a one-score game in the 4th quarter) and there are probably 70-80 teams better than Kent. Maybe they were just unfocused and will give all the top teams their best effort. Ohio State still has questions on defense in my view. Alabama just doesn't seem as dominant as normal. Texas may not be that bad with Ewers playing, but they lost to Texas Tech yesterday and struggled to put away UTSA.

"Win your clunkers..." It means win even when you play like crap. Teams like OSU and Georgia and Bama don't often play like crap...but if they can beat Texas (Bama) and Notre Dame (OSU) when they play like crap, then you can imagine what they're going to do when they play great.

 

[africamurphy]

CMU was the perfect "pump the brakes" kind of game.

Offense suffered tons of 3 and outs. Defense got down the field over and over. Yardage was basically even. I know turnovers are part of the game...but if CMU cuts out some key mistakes, man, that could have come down to the final few possessions.

But we won a clunker. Let's hope it was just a clunker though. And not our "typical" game. If it's an actual typical PSU performance for 2022, we might end up 8-4.

 

[IANit]

"Win your clunkers..." It means win even when you play like crap. Teams like OSU and Georgia and Bama don't often play like crap...but if they can beat Texas (Bama) and Notre Dame (OSU) when they play like crap, then you can imagine what they're going to do when they play great.

I think Alabama was lucky that Ewers got knocked out of the game (or maybe not really lucky).

 

[Woodpecker]

I think Alabama was lucky that Ewers got knocked out of the game (or maybe not really lucky).

Luck is the residue of design.

Branch Rickey

 

[BBHorn86]

Agreed. That is why I am showing up and booing this team on Saturday. I wish we were Minnesota. We should not sleep on the fact that Minnesota has an elite OC.

I would rather have Cirrocca than Yurcich. Franklin tried to force his philosophy on Kirk rather than let him install his approach. When Minnesota waltzes out of Beaver Stadium with a win Kirk will have the final F-U.

 

[Parkerdam555]

Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama are still in a separate class IMO

Georgia and Alabama. Not Ohio State.

 

[Parkerdam555]

I would rather have Cirrocca than Yurcich. Franklin tried to force his philosophy on Kirk rather than let him install his approach. When Minnesota waltzes out of Beaver Stadium with a win Kirk will have the final F-U.

We'll see. Whole lot of factors in this game, one of them being that Penn State is going to score also..., and Minnesota is missing their number one wide receiver and will not be able to expand the field, so on 3rd and medium or more, they are punting. This Penn State secondary is maybe the best in the nation.

 

[IANit]

Luck is the residue of design.

Branch Rickey

I don't think it was luck. They tried to knock him out of the game and it worked.

 

[IANit]

I would rather have Cirrocca than Yurcich. Franklin tried to force his philosophy on Kirk rather than let him install his approach. When Minnesota waltzes out of Beaver Stadium with a win Kirk will have the final F-U.

I think Franklin became enamored with Ciarrocca after Minnesota beat PSU and an injured Clifford 31-26 with previously pedestrian Tanner Morgan looking like a hall-of-famer. Not sure what happened once he got to PSU, but the on-the-field product (i.e. Clifford/Levis) was terrible in 2020.

 

[sss]

I would rather have Cirrocca than Yurcich. Franklin tried to force his philosophy on Kirk rather than let him install his approach. When Minnesota waltzes out of Beaver Stadium with a win Kirk will have the final F-U.

I'm sure you'll be back here to eat your crow if it doesn't happen? Were you one of the posters telling us PSU waas going to lose to both Purdue and Auburn before the season?

 

[ryoder1]

I would rather have Cirrocca than Yurcich. Franklin tried to force his philosophy on Kirk rather than let him install his approach. When Minnesota waltzes out of Beaver Stadium with a win Kirk will have the final F-U.

We're not losing the White Out to Minny. Wow, just hand Minny the B10 title and a playoff berth while you are at it. If Ciarrocca was so good he would have been a HC by now.

 

[BBHorn86]

I'm sure you'll be back here to eat your crow if it doesn't happen? Were you one of the posters telling us PSU waas going to lose to both Purdue and Auburn before the season?

Yes I was. Auburn simply sucks tons of issues that are holding them back. Purdue could have easily been a loss but Clifford pulled it out to his credit. I admit I underestimated the impact of the two freshmen RB so I own that I was wrong. Still I'm not sold that PS is all that good. They look like a team that might wilt down the stretch. Hopefully not but if they play like they did this past Saturday against the meat of their schedule then the Mayo Bowl is their destiny.

 

[Sooner Lion]

I don’t see any great teams this year, including Georgia.

Like it or hate it, the transfer portal is equalizing college football.

 

[IANit]

Like it or hate it, the transfer portal is equalizing college football.

It's probably still Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson and everyone else for now until proven otherwise, but if the portal and NIL opens things up for other teams that's a good thing.

 

[IANit]

Yes I was. Auburn simply sucks tons of issues that are holding them back. Purdue could have easily been a loss but Clifford pulled it out to his credit. I admit I underestimated the impact of the two freshmen RB so I own that I was wrong. Still I'm not sold that PS is all that good. They look like a team that might wilt down the stretch. Hopefully not but if they play like they did this past Saturday against the meat of their schedule then the Mayo Bowl is their destiny.

Mmmm, mayonnaise.

 

[sss]

Yes I was. Auburn simply sucks tons of issues that are holding them back. Purdue could have easily been a loss but Clifford pulled it out to his credit. I admit I underestimated the impact of the two freshmen RB so I own that I was wrong. Still I'm not sold that PS is all that good. They look like a team that might wilt down the stretch. Hopefully not but if they play like they did this past Saturday against the meat of their schedule then the Mayo Bowl is their destiny.

So you are 0-2 so far and now telling us PSU is going to lose 3 games in October? Hope you are not a betting man.

 

[Parkerdam555]

It's probably still Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson and everyone else for now until proven otherwise, but if the portal and NIL opens things up for other teams that's a good thing.

Alabama and Georgia. Not Ohio State and Clemson.

 

[Parkerdam555]

We're not losing the White Out to Minny. Wow, just hand Minny the B10 title and a playoff berth while you are at it. If Ciarrocca was so good he would have been a HC by now.

If Penn State can stop Ibrahim its game set match.

 

[IANit]

Alabama and Georgia. Not Ohio State and Clemson.

These teams account for all but one of the national titles and all have had multiple playoff appearances and finals appearances. So yes, these are your top 4 in the CFP era - Alabama (3 titles, 6 finals), Clemson (2 titles, 4 finals), Ohio State (1 title, 2 finals), and Georgia (1 title, 2 finals). Maybe with the portal and NIL we'll see someone outside that group.

 

[olelion]

It's probably still Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson and everyone else for now until proven otherwise, but if the portal and NIL opens things up for other teams that's a good thing.

I'm just not there with Clemson. The other three have separated themselves. Pitt is definitely in the hunt for ACC crown

 

[IANit]

I'm just not there with Clemson. The other three have separated themselves. Pitt is definitely in the hunt for ACC crown

Clemson doesn't seem great, but probably has the easiest road to the CFP.

 

[LandoComando]

I'm just not there with Clemson. The other three have separated themselves. Pitt is definitely in the hunt for ACC crown

Agreed--Clemson's not on the level of the other 3 IMO

 

[GregInPitt]

I'm just not there with Clemson. The other three have separated themselves. Pitt is definitely in the hunt for ACC crown

Yep Pitt, a team that wouldn't have a winning record playing PSU's schedule, is at this point the favorite for the ACC Coastal division and one of the favorites for the ACC championship. Pitt doesn't play another team this season that has a pulse, but Duzzy will likely manage to lose a game some how..... but only has to find a way to win against Clemson in a down year for them.

 

[LandoComando]

Yep Pitt, a team that wouldn't have a winning record playing PSU's schedule, is at this point the favorite for the ACC Coastal division and one of the favorites for the ACC championship. Pitt doesn't play another team this season that has a pulse, but Duzzy will likely manage to lose a game some how..... but only has to find a way to win against Clemson in a down year for them.

Wait, why wouldn't Pitt have a winning record with our schedule? They'd likely be 4-0 right now as well with Northwestern up next. They lost 1 game to a top 10 team.

Not a Pitt fan by any stretch of the imagination but pretending there aren't 7 wins on our schedule for Pitt isn't sincere. Saying they'd finish 4th in the east (or even 5th) would make way more sense. They'd probably win the west though lol

 

[YYZ86]

Yes I was. Auburn simply sucks tons of issues that are holding them back. Purdue could have easily been a loss but Clifford pulled it out to his credit. I admit I underestimated the impact of the two freshmen RB so I own that I was wrong. Still I'm not sold that PS is all that good. They look like a team that might wilt down the stretch. Hopefully not but if they play like they did this past Saturday against the meat of their schedule then the Mayo Bowl is their

So you are 0-2 so far and now telling us PSU is going to lose 3 games in October? Hope you are not a betting man.

I hope he is.

 

[YYZ86]

Wait, why wouldn't Pitt have a winning record with our schedule? They'd likely be 4-0 right now as well with Northwestern up next. They lost 1 game to a top 10 team.

Not a Pitt fan by any stretch of the imagination but pretending there aren't 7 wins on our schedule for Pitt isn't sincere. Saying they'd finish 4th in the east (or even 5th) would make way more sense. They'd probably win the west though lol

Pitt is in the only Power 5 division they would win.

 

[MacNit07]

Georgia and Alabama. Not Ohio State.

Ohio State may be the best of the 3. Their QB and wideouts are phenomenal.

 

[ivan brunetti]

Except for one thing: Purdue is a good team. Auburn, the jury is still out.

I don't know that I would go so far as saying the Boilers are "good". I think "decent" is closer to the mark. Might win 4 or 5 conference games playing in the woeful West.

Auburn simply stinks. They are the SEC's version of Michigan State.