In the end, despite the disappointment, Penn State proved they could absolutely go toe to toe #1 Oregon. Had the Nittany Lions played cleaner, the outcome may well have been in our favor. Our team never stopped battling, not even when they were down 28-10. They could have let Oregon put the game away at that point, but they proved their resilience and their right to belong among the best in the nation.
Penn State is the most exciting and resilient we’ve seen in years and I am here for it. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so pumped to see what happens next. We’ve taken care of the little things all season and now the big things are taking care of themselves.
Belittle us all day. Call for our coach’s job. Tell us we’re not a top five team. See if we care. We are 10-1 with a championship mentality. We are tuning out the noise and keeping our eye on the prize. We are gritty, resilient, and full of heart. We are Penn State.
Coach Franklin is already being asked about playoff preparations and his response is spot on. “If I start talking about things other than Minnesota, then so do our coaches and so do the players, and we lose focus, and then we come out and don't play well," Franklin said. "Right now, our focus is on Minnesota completely.”
We may have lost to Ohio State last weekend, but we are showing no signs of defeat. Penn State answered our questions with their resiliency. It was full steam ahead for a fired-up White Out crowd.
This is not the article I wanted to write. That was not the game I wanted to watch. It’s a tough start to the week with that energy hanging over our heads. Well, those of us who haven’t lost our heads screaming for Franklin’s, anyway.
We know the qualities that set Penn Staters apart: heart, passion, resilience, perseverance, loyalty, integrity. We can see the proof in this season’s team that Franklin continues to develop players and a program that embodies these ideals.
To go into the half down 20-6 and come back out to tie it up in the 3rd quarter, then win in overtime? You need a strong character individually and as a team to accomplish that. And heart. Miles and miles of heart.
An eye-catching stripe out with 110,000 fans for the first game between Penn State and UCLA since 1968 and 27-11 win. Mission accomplished.
