WHAT!!

Can you even believe where we sit right now?! What an unexpected gift! What an unbelievable twist of fate! WE ARE 11-1! WE ARE going to the BigTen Championship!!

We were imagining a December home playoff game and now we’re going to Indianapolis. WHAT. We get to play the number 1 team in the country. It’s another opportunity for our Nittany Lions to make something happen. This season we’ve won in a variety of ways, including offensive wins, defensive wins, wins aided by special teams, and more. Already we’re slated as the underdogs–a position I personally prefer for our scrappy, blue-blooded program–and we just might find another way to win.

But first let’s talk about what a win against Maryland! After a botched start and Maryland jumping out to a 7-0 lead on the second play of the game and a pretty poor first quarter in general, Penn State steadied the ship and routed the Terps handily. Tyler Warren was a beast as usual, setting the PSU tight end record for career receptions (130) and all-time tight end receiving touchdowns (17), and giving us a Saquan-worthy hurdle to boot. Franklin said they ought to put the Mackey award on a private jet and give it to him tonight. Abdul Carter totaled six tackles, including two sacks and two tackles for loss, and said afterwards, “I'm still improving. I'm still finding ways to get better. I haven't played my best football yet.” Ryan Barker hit a career long 49-yard field goal. 

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. 

It’s both amazing to me and also exactly what I’ve been feeling, that suddenly the loss to Ohio State is irrelevant. As James Franklin continues to rightfully point out, we can only focus on things that are within our control. The only thing that can be expected of Penn State Football is to do the best they can to put themselves in the best position possible. And that’s exactly what they’ve done. There is nothing here to complain about, except maybe having to wait another week for Tyler Warren to get his last five yards to break the BigTen record for single season receiving by a tight end. You have to be looking for reasons to be disappointed in James Franklin and this Nittany Lion team to find them at this point.

This is the largest and most competitive BigTen there’s ever been. To have your team ready to play week in and week out is very difficult to do. You can look around the country and see that most teams can’t do it.  Not even the world famous Buckeyes.

I’m sure this week will be full of people, commentators and even sadly our own fans, decreeing that Penn State will never beat Oregon. Tune them out if you can. I’m choosing to be full of hope that our team will march into that stadium arm in arm and ready; and maybe, just maybe, win us a championship. In a season that has been all around full of surprises, anything is possible. 

And so following a Senior Day victory, Coach Franklin was full of gratitude for literally everyone involved in the football program from the athletic director through the grounds crew and everybody in between saying, “You don’t win without all this support.” Let’s throw our full support and positive energy behind this beautifully surprising and resilient Nittany Lion team. GO STATE! BEAT THE DUCKS!!!