So here's the thing

[lowhandicapper]

As disgusted as I was with the final 6 minutes of that game. Penn State was on the brink of victory against what many "experts" consider the greatest roster talent ever assembled. Against a team that is a well oiled elite college football machine with more resources than nearly any NCAA team in any sport.
But while all this happens people chastise the program and coach because they took that team to the brink of a loss. Then snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
They give credit to the kid who made the interception at the goal line and don't give Zakee Wheatley credit for doing essentially the same thing on the other end, instead that was on Will Howard, not the playmaker.
Such a double standard. Such a sense of I want it both ways.
I don't care if James Franklin is a great coach every day but Saturday. The team played to the final bell against a team that was superior in every category....Coaching, talent & intangibles. Poor Ohio State had to play without a few offensive lineman. Yet Penn State played with a QB not 100%, their best defensive player out for the season, a hobbled RT and top DE. But poor Ohio State had to move their all-American guard over a position and backfill that position with one of the numerous 4/5 stars waiting in the wings.

Why all the fuss?
Ohio State did what they were supposed too. Penn State did what they always do.
Either way that game came down to basically one or two plays. So what's the big deal? That's the type of game I would expect from two top 10 teams.

 

[Obliviax]

As disgusted as I was with the final 6 minutes of that game. Penn State was on the brink of victory against what many "experts" consider the greatest roster talent ever assembled. Against a team that is a well oiled elite college football machine with more resources than nearly any NCAA team in any sport.
But while all this happens people chastise the program and coach because they took that team on the brink of a loss. Then snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
They give credit to the kid who made the interception at the goal line and don't give Zakee Wheatley credit for doing essentially the same thing on the other end, instead that was on Will Howard, not the playmaker.
Such a double standard. Such a sense of I want it both ways.
I don't care if James Franklin is a great coach every day but Saturday. The team played to the final bell against a team that was superior in every category....Coaching, talent & intangibles. Poor Ohio State had to play without a few offensive lineman. Yet Penn State played with a QB not 100%, their best defensive player out for the season, a hobbled RT and top DE. But poor Ohio State had to move their all-American guard over a position and backfill that position with one of the numerous 4/5 stars waiting in the wings.

Why all the fuss?
Ohio State did what they were supposed too. Penn State did what they always do.
Either way that game came down to basically one or two plays. So what's the big deal? That's the type of game I would expect from two top 10 teams.

A few days later, after emotions subside, I agree. In fact, I didn't watch the game because I no longer want sports to ruin my day.

• at no time did I expect PSU to beat tOSU this year.
• sadly, unless a ton of our players decide to do what UM's did last year and come back to try and win a natty, this was our best year to beat tOSU in the last five.
• with all of that, a play here or a play there (or a call here or there) could have altered this game.
• The bottom line, to me, is depth. tOSU was able to plug players in for injured players better than we were. That is the result of ongoing better recruiting performance
• At the same time, a chain is only as good as it's weakest link. Our WR room is vastly inferior to tOSUs. Ours is "OK" while their's is A-. I expected our Freshman to play but he didn't.

Bottom line is that we were very close but who cares? We lost. This team still has all of their goals in front of them. It is imperative that the team turns the page and turns in a good performance against a very good Washington team. Win out, get into the playoffs, and they'll have their shot.

 

[WaffleShopper]

As disgusted as I was with the final 6 minutes of that game. Penn State was on the brink of victory against what many "experts" consider the greatest roster talent ever assembled. Against a team that is a well oiled elite college football machine with more resources than nearly any NCAA team in any sport.
But while all this happens people chastise the program and coach because they took that team on the brink of a loss. Then snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
They give credit to the kid who made the interception at the goal line and don't give Zakee Wheatley credit for doing essentially the same thing on the other end, instead that was on Will Howard, not the playmaker.
Such a double standard. Such a sense of I want it both ways.
I don't care if James Franklin is a great coach every day but Saturday. The team played to the final bell against a team that was superior in every category....Coaching, talent & intangibles. Poor Ohio State had to play without a few offensive lineman. Yet Penn State played with a QB not 100%, their best defensive player out for the season, a hobbled RT and top DE. But poor Ohio State had to move their all-American guard over a position and backfill that position with one of the numerous 4/5 stars waiting in the wings.

Why all the fuss?
Ohio State did what they were supposed too. Penn State did what they always do.
Either way that game came down to basically one or two plays. So what's the big deal? That's the type of game I would expect from two top 10 teams.

I think some people are making a big deal of it because this was year that we were supposed to win that game. OSU is not as good as they have been and we couldn't close the deal. We played them close again, had a chance to win again, and lost again. It's not a one game issue but a cumulative thing.

Not sure too many people expected us to win, they just expect us to win just one of these big games where we have chances and for the past several years always end up losing.

 

[lowhandicapper]

I think some people are making a big deal of it because this was year that we were supposed to win that game.

By what metric were we supposed to win? OSU was preseason #2 only because Georgia hadn't lost in two years. They spent 20 million on their roster and brought in arguably the best RB and best S in the country in the off-season. I just don't understand what expectation their was for Penn State to win. Nobody even plays OSU close annually, except of course Penn State. Who blows it about 50% of the time. It doesn't make their team any less, maybe the staff yes, but the team itself no.

 

[WaffleShopper]

By what metric were we supposed to win? OSU was preseason #2 only because Georgia hadn't lost in two years. They spent 20 million on their roster and brought in arguably the best RB and best S in the country in the off-season. I just don't understand what expectation their was for Penn State to win. Nobody even plays OSU close annually, except of course Penn State. Who blows it about 50% of the time. It doesn't make their team any less, maybe the staff yes, but the team itself no.

The metric was set a couple years ago when everyone was saying that 2024 was going to be our year. #1 QB, #1 RB, finally a great oline, etc. If you read what I wrote again I'm not saying it was a one game thing. It's cumulative. We were not even favored and even though a lot of the experts picked us I don't think too many fans thought we would win. It's just a frustration that people have because they realize it might not happen ever again under Franklin barring a miracle block-6.

 

[lowhandicapper]

The metric was set a couple years ago when everyone was saying that 2024 was going to be our year. #1 QB, #1 RB, finally a great oline, etc. If you read what I wrote again I'm not saying it was a one game thing. It's cumulative. We were not even favored and even though a lot of the experts picked us I don't think too many fans thought we would win. It's just a frustration that people have because they realize it might not happen ever again under Franklin barring a miracle block-6.

I agree with everything you said in every post except the expectation to win. Sports isn't cumulative. It's a now, real time thing. That I understand, is what's so frustrating in that the head coach, who is the program constant, continues to provide the same result.

 

[WaffleShopper]

I agree with everything you said in every post except the expectation to win. Sports isn't cumulative. It's a now, real time thing. That I understand, is what's so frustrating in that the head coach, who is the program constant, continues to provide the same result.

I absolutely agree that sports are not cumulative. It's the fans' expectation that is cumulative and it's the fans that overreact after losses.

 

[wilbury]

The metric was set a couple years ago when everyone was saying that 2024 was going to be our year. #1 QB, #1 RB, finally a great oline, etc. If you read what I wrote again I'm not saying it was a one game thing. It's cumulative. We were not even favored and even though a lot of the experts picked us I don't think too many fans thought we would win. It's just a frustration that people have because they realize it might not happen ever again under Franklin barring a miracle block-6.

Why limit it to 'under Franklin'? Unless a new coach recruits better than OSU or gets donors to pony up more money than OSU, it doesn't matter who's coaching.

 

[royboy]

Bottom line is that we were very close but who cares? We lost. This team still has all of their goals in front of them. It is imperative that the team turns the page and turns in a good performance against a very good Washington team. Win out, get into the playoffs, and they'll have their shot.

Yeah, we're slow to realize the expanded playoffs provide an extra chance.

In the NFL or college basketball, virtually no regular season loss cannot be overcome by reaching and succeeding in the playoffs.

It ain't over.

 

[WaffleShopper]

Why limit it to 'under Franklin'? Unless a new coach recruits better than OSU or gets donors to pony up more money than OSU, it doesn't matter who's coaching.

Right, it may not matter. And with OSU's momentum it probably wont matter the next couple years no matter who is coaching. But people limit it to Franklin because he's the current head coach and he is supposedly the one to get us over the hump. There are a lot of other factors but the easiest thing for fans to do is criticize the head coach.

 

[Ward Hog]

We are as good or very close talent wise at every position except wide out. Their wideouts were nothing special in this game.

Both coaches played not to lose. We didn't make plays when needed, and they made a few.

 

[JWB389]

In the same thread I read that OSU has the best roster ever assembled and that OSU is down this year. Which is it?

 

[DrJC]

By what metric were we supposed to win? OSU was preseason #2 only because Georgia hadn't lost in two years. They spent 20 million on their roster and brought in arguably the best RB and best S in the country in the off-season. I just don't understand what expectation their was for Penn State to win. Nobody even plays OSU close annually, except of course Penn State. Who blows it about 50% of the time. It doesn't make their team any less, maybe the staff yes, but the team itself no.

 

[DrJC]

Much of my anger was not with the loss itself. Rather it was the play-calling, that is the lack of going deep and the poor goal line offense. I recognize that OU has tons of 5 star recruits, and that does mean something. Our WR's need either better skills or better coaching. Also, Allen's defense is not what we had with Diaz. They are not nearly as aggressive. OU always seemed to have the outside plays on offense. Not acceptable. And I am sure Washington will not that in their game strategy for this week.

 

[KCLion]

Why limit it to 'under Franklin'? Unless a new coach recruits better than OSU or gets donors to pony up more money than OSU, it doesn't matter who's coaching.

Except that upsets happen nearly every weekend when a team with less resources mans up. We haven’t in a long time.

 

[KCLion]

Much of my anger was not with the loss itself. Rather it was the play-calling, that is the lack of going deep and the poor goal line offense. I recognize that OU has tons of 5 star recruits, and that does mean something. Our WR's need either better skills or better coaching. Also, Allen's defense is not what we had with Diaz. They are not nearly as aggressive. OU always seemed to have the outside plays on offense. Not acceptable. And I am sure Washington will not that in their game strategy for this week.

Actually, I thought that OSU expected our aggressive defense and out-schemed us to isolate their best on certain guys.

 

[bvillebaron]

Right, it may not matter. And with OSU's momentum it probably wont matter the next couple years no matter who is coaching. But people limit it to Franklin because he's the current head coach and he is supposedly the one to get us over the hump. There are a lot of other factors but the easiest thing for fans to do is criticize the head coach.

And root for the back up QB who has bern the best player on the team every year for the 65 years I have been a fan.