Game Ball and Helmet Stickers: Penn State vs. Auburn

First let me start by saying, Mr. FrankLion, if you happen to see this, one of those Halls you promised is exactly what I need right now! Even a few days post-win, my throat still has that familiar soreness that strikes Nittany Lion fans each fall.

Students, you ROCKED the house!

Nittany Nation, I’ve already seen indications all over Auburn message boards stating LSU's Death Valley cannot hold a candle to what their fans witnessed on Saturday night! That in and of itself is quite the feat, but not surprising.

Those SEC Refs? We will now take a 10-second moment of silence before we start to emulate the most epic reply James Franklin could have possibly ever drummed up as he headed off at halftime.

Finally, dear Penn State, you sent chills running down our spines once again! Credit the Tigers for hanging tough and putting up such a strong fight. In the end, it was the Nittany Lions that were in command as the All-American Jaquan Brisker and Joey Porter Jr. swatted down a last-ditch effort that sealed Auburn’s fate. Speaking of Junior, can you imagine the pandemonium had that scoop-and-score stuck as the new #9 went raging down the sideline?

Brandon Smith dominated and was chosen the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Transfer Derrick Tangelo ran down both squads to make a game saving stop late in the game. Jesse Luketa continues to build on his legacy, and PJ Mustifer, you ask? There’s a reason I started calling him Mufasa earlier this summer. The Lion King indeed!

Jahan Dotson, you sir, are the very essence of pure beauty and talent. Well, hello there Tyler Warren! The Lion’s secret weapon is officially out. His counterparts at tight end, Brenton Strange and Theo Johnson are legit beasts. Noah Cain did Noah Cain things and John Lovett flashed a glimpse of the change of pace he provides. The cannon that Jordan Stout has for a leg is lethal. The O-Line is still a work in progress in the run game but provided enough time for Sean Clifford to play a game of solitaire as he decided who to throw a dart to. 

All of which leads us to the big blue dog himself. Often criticized and much maligned, he’s remained solid through the first three games. He dropped the mic on Wisconsin, hit the accelerator against the reigning MAC champ, and caught the upper echelon of the SEC totally off guard. What was most impressive was how in control and confident he looked from start to finish. Cliff was more than worthy enough to earn the Lions Pride Game Ball during any of the first three contests, but totally solidified his position this week as the Captain that drives this ship.

All that’s left now is a scattering of dust as the White Out makes its way back up Mount Nittany, guaranteed to wreak havoc and chaos on the Buckeyes the next time they come knocking on our door. It makes me wonder, are we at the point where opponents of that caliber get mad if they’re not chosen as our White Out game, or if they breathe a sigh of relief? Either way, the White Out once again proved it reigns supreme!