Pregame Predictor: Back with a Vengeance
So here we are again with our backs against the wall. No matter how far we come, we always manage to fall back down to earth. It’s been six excruciating days since it all came crashing down in Columbus, but feels more like a month, doesn’t it? Since the final whistle blew we’ve all been forced to run the gamut of grief. Tears, heartache, anger, and only now are we beginning to pick ourselves up off the cold, lonely floor. One point you say? May as well have been a thousand. Yep, this one stung like no other. A No. 7 ranking in the first College Football Playoff poll of the season did little to calm our nerves. In fact, it may have frayed them even more than they already were as other one-loss teams jumped ahead. There’s still a shot, but man, that driver’s seat felt so good.
So here we are again, the underdog, left to fight for scraps, begging for respect. We climbed that mountain oh so high, but took a tumble just when we could see the top. A win over the Evil Empire and even mighty ‘Bama would have been nipping at our heels. It was fun to dream, but all good things must come to an end eventually. Today, we depend on destiny to wave its magic wand. Three spots to climb and four weeks left to do it. The world may not have ended back there in Columbus, but it sure did get a little harder. The three-game Gauntlet we embarked upon a few weeks ago is but a mere afterthought now, all things considered.
Of course, we're nothing more than fans of Penn State Football, which is short for fanatic, in case you didn’t know. We wear our hearts on our sleeves and the fanatic in us came pouring out this week like a broken sieve. Some took the high road, and some took the low. Others let this minor setback get the best of them. I suspect, if we all just took a deep breath, we would realize that it’s just a game. Nothing more, nothing less. Number two was fun and all, but it's certainly not the end of the world being lucky number seven. 125+ teams would love to switch places with us, just to put it in perspective. Five years ago, there was not a single soul on earth that envied our position. You know, just to add a little perspective for those who forgot.
As for those Nittany Lions that have us all up in a tizzy, it’s a good thing those coaches get paid the big bucks and we have the hardest working staff in college football. As we all spent the week nit-picking and debating, pointing fingers, and wailing “woe-is-me,” they’ve been busy back at work. Columbus is nothing more than a distant memory in the rear-view mirror. After all, our boys in Blue and White have a game to play and a trip to big, bad Sparty is next on the docket. Their current odds may be hard to overcome but they know as well as any that anything is possible if you pull the rope in the same direction. Last week, it was unfinished business, but we fell just short. In truth, as much as that loss stung, a statement was made on our behalf. There are no moral victories anymore, but if you think we've reached our peak, think again. Little consolation for all the fanatics out there forced to pick up the pieces. As for our next adventure, in the immortal words of Mr. T, “I pity the fool.” We no longer control our own destiny, but we most definitely have four shots at making a lasting impression and it all starts in East Lansing, Michigan. So, wipe away those tears Nittany Nation, put your hearts back in their rightful place, and reel your faith back in. WE ARE…is the battle call and our boys in Blue and White are coming back with a vengeance! Penn State 47 – Michigan State 13.
So here we are again, the underdog, left to fight for scraps, begging for respect. We climbed that mountain oh so high, but took a tumble just when we could see the top. A win over the Evil Empire and even mighty ‘Bama would have been nipping at our heels. It was fun to dream, but all good things must come to an end eventually. Today, we depend on destiny to wave its magic wand. Three spots to climb and four weeks left to do it. The world may not have ended back there in Columbus, but it sure did get a little harder. The three-game Gauntlet we embarked upon a few weeks ago is but a mere afterthought now, all things considered.
Of course, we're nothing more than fans of Penn State Football, which is short for fanatic, in case you didn’t know. We wear our hearts on our sleeves and the fanatic in us came pouring out this week like a broken sieve. Some took the high road, and some took the low. Others let this minor setback get the best of them. I suspect, if we all just took a deep breath, we would realize that it’s just a game. Nothing more, nothing less. Number two was fun and all, but it's certainly not the end of the world being lucky number seven. 125+ teams would love to switch places with us, just to put it in perspective. Five years ago, there was not a single soul on earth that envied our position. You know, just to add a little perspective for those who forgot.
As for those Nittany Lions that have us all up in a tizzy, it’s a good thing those coaches get paid the big bucks and we have the hardest working staff in college football. As we all spent the week nit-picking and debating, pointing fingers, and wailing “woe-is-me,” they’ve been busy back at work. Columbus is nothing more than a distant memory in the rear-view mirror. After all, our boys in Blue and White have a game to play and a trip to big, bad Sparty is next on the docket. Their current odds may be hard to overcome but they know as well as any that anything is possible if you pull the rope in the same direction. Last week, it was unfinished business, but we fell just short. In truth, as much as that loss stung, a statement was made on our behalf. There are no moral victories anymore, but if you think we've reached our peak, think again. Little consolation for all the fanatics out there forced to pick up the pieces. As for our next adventure, in the immortal words of Mr. T, “I pity the fool.” We no longer control our own destiny, but we most definitely have four shots at making a lasting impression and it all starts in East Lansing, Michigan. So, wipe away those tears Nittany Nation, put your hearts back in their rightful place, and reel your faith back in. WE ARE…is the battle call and our boys in Blue and White are coming back with a vengeance! Penn State 47 – Michigan State 13.
