Today on the Pride of Penn State Football, 2 devastating defeats cause major concern across University Park. Many pundits and fans are claiming that James Franklin has been distracted by all of the USC and LSU rumors but he has said that I’m not focusing on that and I want to help my team win. These questions have been asked a lot over the past 2 weeks. Coming off a game where they gave up the most rushing yards in his tenure and lost in 9OT, Coach Franklin has claimed that if teams are going to beat us, they must beat us through the air. This statement would be correct as the Nittany Lions spent all of practice the next week working on tackling at the line of scrimmage. Even if the defense has been bailing out the squad over the past few weeks, many questions are all over the health of Sean Clifford and the Offensive Line. Cliff clearly wasn’t 100% in the loss to Illinois and it showed all day long. Their solution is to change up their game plan and attack defenses with their speed over the top rather than in the 10 yard area between the line of scrimmage. A good decision but that will be put to the test a lot over the next few games.
This next game in particular is a huge test for Penn State. Not only are their BIG10 Championship ambitions at stake, they now face a hated rival that has usually bested them. THE Ohio State University. A team that has dominated the Nittany Lions almost every year since the mid 1990s. Not only that, but James Franklin has never won inside “The Horseshoe.” PSU is entering hell, a daunting Redout where all of the Ohio State fans are out for the enemy. They can taste another trip to the College Football Playoff. This game would be a chess match in every sense of the word. On the 1st series of the game, the Buckeyes took what the Pride of the PSU defense gave them but it led to a fumble as the Boys in Blue forced the 1st turnover of the game, the bad news for the defense was that Noah Cain on the very next play as OSU got the ball back. It didn’t worry the Lion fans as CJ Stroud struggled to get his offense going. Even if Ohio State pinned Penn State deep in their own end. Clifford went right to work as he used Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert Smith to find openings in the opposing secondary. The result of this drive was a touchdown pass to Brenton Strange. All is well for the Whiteout. Even as the Redout kicked a field goal on their next drive the Nittany Lions still had the lead. The offense once again was moving the ball down the field but they stalled out around the Buckeyes 40 yard line. The momentum of this game changed when Clifford was sacked on 4th and 5. Why did it change, because THE BIG10 Factory scored a TD very quickly. Let the Buckeyes think they are going to win because the Nittany Lions are going to storm down the field and now they have a chance to regain the lead before halftime. What will they do? “Clifford, under pressure is going to be sacked! AND THE BALL IS FREE! Its picked up by the Defensive Tackle Jerron Cage! THEY’LL NEVER CATCH HIM! THE NITTANY LIONS HAVE BEEN CAGED TOUCHDOWN OHIO STATE!” Oh Cry Me a River Football Gods. A fumble return for a touchdown after another outstanding march deep into Buckeye territory. Come on STOP THIS! (The BIG10 loves trolling Penn State and James Franklin) The game is still long from over because PSU kicked a field goal and gets the ball to start the 2nd Half.
And wouldn’t you know it the Nittany Lions take advantage of the opening possession of the 2nd Half and tie the game up at 17 thanks to a Wildcat play executed by Jahan Dotson. All optimism in Happy Valley would be short lived as the Buckeyes put up 10 straight points thanks to a field goal and touchdown off another PSU turnover. Even down by 10 yet again this is Penn State’s chance to prove how good of a team they still are. Led by JaHands, and Lambert Smith, the offense of the Lions came right back and cut the lead to 3. They smell blood in the water, they now have a chance to pull off what was once unthinkable. Beating Ohio State in their own backyard. Now down by 6 deep into the 4th Quarter, Clifford, Dotson, and the rest of the offense have a legit chance to win the game with a long drive. “Clifford goes back to throw, he is under pressure, he is hit as he throws it, and it’s PICKED OFF! Into the hands of the All American Cameron Brown.” Optimism DEAD! (BOOM!) Ohio State wins and remains undefeated in the BIG10 and controls their own fate in the race for the Playoff, as for Penn State laventation.
The Nittany Lions have failed to complete their mission of pulling off the major upset. It’s nothing against the team or coaches they did everything they could to win. Unfortunately the Buckeyes talent was too much to overcome in the end. It is definitely a death blow to their BIG10 Title ambitions considering what has happened over the past month. Do you know what would ease the sting of this loss, NOT LOSING TO THE FIGHTING ILLINI! Or turning the ball over 6 times against the Hawkeyes, or rushing back Sean Clifford when he clearly wasn’t 100%. If all of those things don’t happen this is an easier pill to swallow. Especially since, PSU Student Body: OH MY GOOD GRACIOUS CAN THESE PEOPLE STOP RUSHING THE FIELD AFTER A GAME THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WIN! I know it was the 1st ever Redout at Ohio State but CAN THESE PEOPLE CONTROL THEMSELVES! ARE THEY JUST COPYING IOWA AND TAUNTING FRANKLIN! (If they lose to Maryland next week they are probably going to storm the field as well)
The good news for Penn State is that they play Maryland next week at College Park in Annapolis so everything is going to be ok, we think. Even with Michigan and Michigan State on the horizon there will still be time to save the season. The way they played even in defeat was inspiring. Franklin still has time to save his legacy with the Nittany Lions if they can win out and win a New Years 6 Bowl game. The schedule may be rough but the one thing I know about this team is that they are battle tested and never give up. Which outcome will we see going forward? Find out next week on the PRIDE OF PSU FOOTBALL! O! O! O! LET’S GO STATE! O! O! O! LET’S GO STATE!
Bragging Rights Sports 