Still several weeks until football season....

[bjf1984]

but I took my first look at the Week 1 schedule:

Obviously, PSU has the clunker with Temple, but there are some interesting games on the docket:

1 - Will be interesting to root for VT against OSU. VT has certainly fallen from their status of 10-15 years ago, but they do have an INCREDIBLE number of returning starters - and that always pays the biggest dividends in Week 1. Go Gobblers!!!

2 - Texas and Notre Dame. Both teams are not at the level of some of their past glories, but two definite College Football Royals meeting in Week 1.....gotta' like that (if you can stomach the expected fellating by NBC of all things Golden Dome).

3 - Wisconsin and Bama. I expect Wisconsin to get keel-hauled, but you never know. Didn't Bama come out of the gates slow against WVU in last year's opener?

4 - The Brain Bowl between Stanford and Northwestern?

5 - My early Upset Special.......Louisville over Auburn.

And, of course, can Youngstown State extend their winning streak against the Pitt Panthers?

 

[Nittanyplayer#12]

Obviously, PSU has the clunker with Temple, but there are some interesting games on the docket:

I Wouldn't say Temple is a clunker. They have a very promising D that could give us some problems being the first game.

 

[bjf1984]

I Wouldn't say Temple is a clunker. They have a very promising D that could give us some problems being the first game.

Oh, I'm not saying it won't be a challenge for PSU....but any game against Temple is a "clunker".

If PSU is indeed challenged, it will say a lot more about where PSU is, rather than an indication of Temple being a good program.

Temple is Temple. They are 12-23 over the last three years - and aside from their opener over Vanderbilt last year, haven't beaten any Power 5 conference teams.

 

[TU_NY]

but I took my first look at the Week 1 schedule:

Obviously, PSU has the clunker with Temple

Hah! Some of you still aren't paying attention; and, this close to the start of the season, that's pretty alarming.

Should be a real "clunker"!

 

[psute]

No love for the UTES hosting Michigan?

 

[bjf1984]

No love for the UTES hosting Michigan?

Go Utes!!!

Actually, you certainly should have a legit shot. It would make me

 

[dawgduice]

Actually, as PSU the Temple game is a good one, when in Philadelphia, TONS of PSU at the Link. I'm guessing about 80% PSU.
Temple may be a real challenge. The last time I looked Vegas has us as a 4 point pick. Given this is as close as you could get to a "home" game on the road the spread is really a "pick um".
"Normally" we would be at least a 14 point favorite.

 

[psu00]

No love for the UTES hosting Michigan?

Complete support for the Utes!

 

[psu00]

Hah! Some of you still aren't paying attention; and, this close to the start of the season, that's pretty alarming.

Should be a real "clunker"!

Oh- we're paying attention. Still a 'clunker'.

 

[bjf1984]

Actually, as PSU the Temple game is a good one, when in Philadelphia, TONS of PSU at the Link. I'm guessing about 80% PSU.
Temple may be a real challenge. The last time I looked Vegas has us as a 4 point pick. Given this is as close as you could get to a "home" game on the road the spread is really a "pick um".
"Normally" we would be at least a 14 point favorite.

By that same metric (pointspreads) Purdue - Marshall and Hawaii - Colorado are "good ones".

BTW, just noticed that Utah is a (slight) early favorite on the tote boards. Go Utes!

 

[TU_NY]

Actually, as PSU the Temple game is a good one, when in Philadelphia, TONS of PSU at the Link. I'm guessing about 80% PSU.

Just like last time, eh?

 

[dawgduice]

Just like last time, eh?

You do know that's picture of the Temple side (I meant corner)? I would say about 20% Temple. I really am being fair in my assessment, I taught at Temple and have a Master's Degree from Temple. So I wore a PSU shirt and a Temple cap. Got a ton of comments I think the game will be a sellout or very close to one this year.
I really would like to see more Temple fans, makes the game a lot more fun. EXCEPT for the "screeching" Owl sound!!!

 

[bmw199]

Temple will not score more than 10 points in the game. Our defense is so talented. Johnson, Zettle, and Sickels are going to wreak havoc. Hackenberg and a much improved run game will wear down and move away from the good defensive guys Temple does have. They don't have the same level talent across the whole team.

 

[johnsonguy45]

I don't see any way that Temple could stick with us through 4 quarters. Maybe for a little while, but not the entire game.

 

[psu00]

You do know that's picture of the Temple side (I meant corner)? I would say about 20% Temple. I really am being fair in my assessment, I taught at Temple and have a Master's Degree from Temple. So I wore a PSU shirt and a Temple cap. Got a ton of comments I think the game will be a sellout or very close to one this year.
I really would like to see more Temple fans, makes the game a lot more fun. EXCEPT for the "screeching" Owl sound!!!

Yeah- if that's the Temple side with I presume their student section in the corner, then judging from that pic I'd say 80% is a pretty fair estimate.

 

[Option Bob]

Oh, I'm not saying it won't be a challenge for PSU....but any game against Temple is a "clunker".

If PSU is indeed challenged, it will say a lot more about where PSU is, rather than an indication of Temple being a good program.

Temple is Temple. They are 12-23 over the last three years - and aside from their opener over Vanderbilt last year, haven't beaten any Power 5 conference teams.

I disaagree that "any game against Temple is a clunker." All too often, the Owls have given even great Penn State squads scares.

1975 - 26-25 @ Neutral site ..... Penn State's record 9-3
1978 - 10-7 at Temple .............. Penn State's record 11-1
1985 - 27-25 at Penn State ...... Penn State's record 11-1

I doubt that any of those games told us more about where Penn State was than they did about Temple's program.

Temple has likely spent a good deal of time since Februrary thinking about beating PSU. They will be as fired up as Rutgers was last season for us, and if they can stay in it early, the game could very well come down to the kickers.

Otherwise, I do agree with you that Temple has not shown itself to be an "upset maker" the way Southern Miss or such teams used to be. And if it were Ohio State playing Temple, I certainly would expect a 56-7 rout. But for some reason, I am a little concerned about the Temple game, and history is a little bit on my side in being so.

 

[BobPSU92]

I disaagree that "any game against Temple is a clunker." All too often, the Owls have given even great Penn State squads scares.

1975 - 26-25 @ Neutral site ..... Penn State's record 9-3
1978 - 10-7 at Temple .............. Penn State's record 11-1
1985 - 27-25 at Penn State ...... Penn State's record 11-1

I doubt that any of those games told us more about where Penn State was than they did about Temple's program.

Temple has likely spent a good deal of time since Februrary thinking about beating PSU. They will be as fired up as Rutgers was last season for us, and if they can stay in it early, the game could very well come down to the kickers.

Otherwise, I do agree with you that Temple has not shown itself to be an "upset maker" the way Southern Miss or such teams used to be. And if it were Ohio State playing Temple, I certainly would expect a 56-7 rout. But for some reason, I am a little concerned about the Temple game, and history is a little bit on my side in being so.

But Temple has lost their mojo now that their cosby culture has been exposed.

 

[mn78psu83]

I disaagree that "any game against Temple is a clunker." All too often, the Owls have given even great Penn State squads scares.

1975 - 26-25 @ Neutral site ..... Penn State's record 9-3
1978 - 10-7 at Temple .............. Penn State's record 11-1
1985 - 27-25 at Penn State ...... Penn State's record 11-1

I doubt that any of those games told us more about where Penn State was than they did about Temple's program.

Temple has likely spent a good deal of time since Februrary thinking about beating PSU. They will be as fired up as Rutgers was last season for us, and if they can stay in it early, the game could very well come down to the kickers.

Otherwise, I do agree with you that Temple has not shown itself to be an "upset maker" the way Southern Miss or such teams used to be. And if it were Ohio State playing Temple, I certainly would expect a 56-7 rout. But for some reason, I am a little concerned about the Temple game, and history is a little bit on my side in being so.

2011 was an ugly 14-10 PSU win.

 

[bjf1984]

I disaagree that "any game against Temple is a clunker." All too often, the Owls have given even great Penn State squads scares.

1975 - 26-25 @ Neutral site ..... Penn State's record 9-3
1978 - 10-7 at Temple .............. Penn State's record 11-1
1985 - 27-25 at Penn State ...... Penn State's record 11-1

I doubt that any of those games told us more about where Penn State was than they did about Temple's program.

Temple has likely spent a good deal of time since Februrary thinking about beating PSU. They will be as fired up as Rutgers was last season for us, and if they can stay in it early, the game could very well come down to the kickers.

Otherwise, I do agree with you that Temple has not shown itself to be an "upset maker" the way Southern Miss or such teams used to be. And if it were Ohio State playing Temple, I certainly would expect a 56-7 rout. But for some reason, I am a little concerned about the Temple game, and history is a little bit on my side in being so.

Semantics. I wouldn't look at any game as a "clunker" or not based on whether it was likely or unlikely that the score would be close. A "non-clunker" is - the way I used the term - a quality match up of good teams (or at least teams with some "cache").
PSU - Temple is NOT that. It is a "clunker".....a "who cares" game to all but the fans for those teams.

Again....it's just a matter of semantics. If it ends up being a game decided on a last minute score, it is still - by that definition - "clunker".....just as a 47-46 triple overtime game between Hawaii and Colorado is a "clunker".

 

[Nitwit]

Just like last time, eh?

I was at that game, and the breakdown was probably more like 70/30 Penn State. The photo above is pointed at the Temple student section which was pretty small in relation to the rest of the stadium. Except for that small wedge, the remaining sections were either predominately Penn State fans, or empty.