A third way to look at it accounts for the schedule we played. We were not competitive against the best team we played. We folded in the fourth for very predicable reasons against the second best team we played. Beyond that, we played the softest schedule we have played in the Big Ten era by a country mile.
There are 2 ways to look at this season - both valid
- Thread starter ShoreLion85
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PSU was competitive with OSU until midway through the fourth quarter; in fact, they were winning that game with around nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. I really believe that a slightly more experienced and physically mature team might have won that game. The Michigan performance was a disgrace; except for 2020, Franklin's teams have been embarrassed completely in Ann Arbor and that must change.
Also, OSU played the same "weak" Big 10 schedule as PSU and ended up losing a game and being seriously challenged in several other games, including Northwestern, and they, especially on offense, are loaded with future NFL players.
While I agree that the Big 10 overall was down this year, that was mostly on account of the West Division teams. Moreover, have you noticed how mediocre the SEC, Big XII and even Pac XII are this season once you get past the first three or four teams, and how less than mediocre the ACC is; it's not just the Big 10? Because of the parity in college football now because of the portal, most teams save for the very few elite are going to lose at least three or four games a year.
Franklin is performing quite well and would be an upgrade at head coach for all but a handful of programs in cfb.
He did a very good job with the team this season. I really believe that this was a crossroads season for him and this program, and they accomplished what they needed to. Now he needs to take the next step and build on the momentum that they have. The recruiting needs to and should finish strongly, and they need to utilize the portal to fill in the gaps.
If by handful you mean 25 to 30, yes, he would be an upgrade. He would a downgrade at most of the top 25.
I was with you until the above sentence. PSU overcame the "really bad qtr". PSU *did* lose because of one player, but that player was JT TUIMOLOAU. Without him going monkey poo, PSU wins. I'd also argue that even with his all time great performance, without Marvin Harrison, Jr, PSU probably also wins.
Excellent point. Thank you for pulling those data. Also interesting to note that Sean is the only to do it in non-consecutive years.
True..but the point is OSU had that freshman stud at the DE that accounted for multiple scores and turned the game on its head...we haven't had that guy at all on the DL. Michigan has had them as well. From an athletic standpoint, we can match up with the best in this league...from a physicality, game wrecker at the LOS standpoint, where most of our losses have been levied, we haven't measured up. An uptick on the OL and DL will I think take us to that B1G champ level and hopefully beyond. Having Effner as your RT isn't going to get it done...the fact that he beat out Wallace, doesn't bode well for that right side either. Would really like to see one of the many OL prospects we have win that spot. JF loves to be loyal to overachievers and hard workers, ala Effner, but he just isn't good enough.
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I agree. My point was just that putting the OSU loss on QB14 is inaccurate.
I think you're both exaggerating a bit. You think Franklin is a top 6 coach in college football? He's clearly not 26 or lower but probably not top 10 either.
my personal opinion is that PSU had a good year. it was certainly an improvement over 2020 and 2021. At the same time, I expected Purdue, Auburn, Minnesota, and MD to be better. I think Minny was but they lost their key player, a QB, by the time we played them.
So PSU did just fine. They lost to the super teams. We got blown out by UM and held our own before a lack of depth did us in late in the game.
So the conference, at least by the time we played those teams was gutted. We had two super teams and a bunch of others. Nobody stood out in the west and the teams we played were not good teams (Purdue, NW, Minny). So we beat who we should have and lost to who we should have. I believe my in-season pre-game predictions were 100% correct.
Excited? I am happy with the improvement. But I am not excited. To be excited is to say that I was pumped up by beating Purdue, MD and Minny. Sorry, I expect that for a PSU team. We avoided a let-down. OK, fine. But not "excited". Pleased might be a better word.
Me:
Not me
I remember back in 1982 people would call in on our(WV) sportsline and say Coach Nehlen you won 9 games but your losses were to Penn State and Pitt. When are we going to beat them? He said we will beat PSU when we have 300lbs OTs like they do. Which he meant PSU was simply much more talented and the gap needed to be narrowed. He would go on to bag a couple wins over PSU but man he lost some close heartbreakers(87, 89, 92). So when you guys get the horses you will eventually beat Michigan and OSU. But those two do not lose many ballgames.
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