Monthly Archives: September 2021

09.30.21
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Penn State Preview: Indiana

Each week, we’ll tell you what to expect, what to keep an eye on, and where and when you can catch the Nittany Lions this football season.

Game details: No. 4/6 Penn State (4-0) vs Indiana (2-2). 7:30 p.m. ET kick-off, broadcast on ABC.

Venue: Beaver Stadium

Weather Forecast (via AccuWeather): High of 75. Patchy fog in the morning; otherwise, sunny much of the day; mostly clear skies for kick-off.

The Line: Penn State -12.5 (SI Sportsbook).

All-Time Series: Penn State leads 22-2.

Last Meeting: Week One, 2020 season. Indiana 36, Penn State 35 (OT).

Last Week: Penn State topped Villanova, 38-17. Indiana held off Western Kentucky, 33-31.

Other Key Big Ten Games This Weekend:
– No. 5/5 Iowa at Maryland (Friday, 8 p.m. ET, FS1)
– No. 14/14 Michigan at Wisconsin (Saturday, Noon ET, Fox)
– No. 11/10 Ohio State at Rutgers (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network)

Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

Players To Watch – Penn State: QB Sean Clifford, WR Jahan Dotson, RB John Lovett, DE Arnold Ebiketie, S Jaquan Brisker.

Players To Watch – Indiana: QB Michael Penix Jr, WR Ty Fryfogle, DE Ryder Anderson.

The Lead: It’s another primetime clash for Penn State inside Beaver Stadium this week. Indiana won last year’s meeting thanks to Michael Penix Jr.’s outstretched dive for the pylon in overtime (OK, he was actually down short of the goal line and Penn State should have won that game, but I’m not going to harp on last year). It’s a new season and the Nittany Lions are a much better team than they were a year ago and Indiana has really struggled through four weeks of the season. Maybe it stems from the preseason expectations weighing a little too heavy on a program that’s almost always been a cellar dweller in the Big Ten. Whatever the reason, the Hoosiers aren’t sneaking up on anybody this year. Penn State has plenty of motivation and what should be another energetic home crowd behind them.

Penn State Wins If: The defense continues to play at its current level. Penix Jr. has struggled a lot throwing the ball down the field this season (55 percent completion rate, 6 INTs to 4 TDs). Penn State has a good pass rush and one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have talent on the outside in reigning Big Ten Receiver of The Year Ty Fryfogle and 3rd-Team All-Big Ten pick Peyton Hendershot, but the Nittany Lions are playing some terrific ball on the back on of their defense right now. I don’t expect this to be the week Indiana gets going through the air. Quick note also on Penn State’s offense. Sean Clifford has greatly improved since Penn State’s loss to the Hoosiers last year. He’s throwing the ball with confidence and getting it out to his variety of playmakers. I expect him to have another good day.

Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

Indiana Wins If: The Nittany Lions’ inability to run the ball finally catches up with them. Indiana’s front seven is pretty good and the Hoosiers’ defense has had a knack for forcing turnovers. If the Penn State passing game has an off day, the ground game will have to be a lot better than it has been through four weeks. If both aspects of the offense struggle and we get another offensive showing similar to what we saw for large periods of the game against Wisconsin, Indiana can hang around and be in the game late with a chance for another upset.

Keep An Eye On: The S-Zone. Great work from our student organization, the Penn State Lion Ambassadors last week in setting up a terrific S-Zone in the south end zone. Last week’s S-Zone showcased a THON theme for the annual THON Game at Beaver Stadium. This week should be another great display under the primetime lights, with t-shirts organized to create a blue background engulfing the large white S. Learn more about the history of the S-Zone here.

Stripe Out 2021: If you’re coming to town for this weekend’s game, don’t forget that it’s a Stripe Out. Be sure to check out http://PennStateStripeOut.com to find out what to wear for your section.

Trivia Tidbit: Sean Clifford and Jahan Dotson connected on a 52-yard touchdown on Penn State’s first offensive play against Villanova. It marked the 16th passing touchdown between the duo. They trail only Todd Blackledge-Kenny Jackson (17) as the top QB-WR touchdown pair in Penn State history. Blackledge, who of course started at quarterback for the Nittany Lions from 1981-1983, will be on the call this weekend for ABC with Sean McDonough and Molly McGrath.

Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

Number To Know: Since 2016, Penn State holds a .758 winning percentage, with a record of 50-16, the sixth-best winning percentage among Power Five programs.

Membership Tidbit: Penn State Alumni Association are the key to everything we do at the Alumni Association. Members make it possible to keep Penn Staters connected with the University and each other through The Football Letter, events and publications, and so much more. If you’re a member, thank you for your support of the Penn State alumni community! If you’re not a member, you can join today at alumni.psu.edu/membership.

Score Predictions:
John Patishnock: Penn State 37, Indiana 14
Vincent Lungaro: Penn State 31, Indiana 17

For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

09.28.21
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Making An Entrance

Thousands of Penn Staters routinely welcome James Franklin and the Nittany Lions prior to each home game at Beaver Stadium. If you want to attend team arrival this season, it’s usually 2.5 hours before kickoff and features performances from the Blue Band, Nittany Lion, Penn State Cheerleaders, and Lionettes. Photo credit: John Patishnock

For a moment, James Franklin morphed into Bil Keane.

If the latter name sounds vaguely familiar, it’s for good reason. Keane was a cartoonist best known for his drawings of The Family Circus. The comic strip debuted in 1960 and remains in circulation to this day, with Keane’s son, Jeff, continuing the series. According to the comic’s publisher, The Family Circus is the most widely circulated comic in the world, appearing in over 1,500 newspapers.

OK, so what does all this have to do with Franklin and Penn State football?

Turns out, there is a connection. Sort of. Kind of. Just stick with me for a moment (please).

In a popular recurring theme of the comic strip, one of the children, Billy, takes a circuitous path to go a short distance, with a dotted line detailing his route. You can see one example in this NPR article.

That’s the image that sprung to mind as Franklin explained how exactly the Nittany Lions get to the stadium for team arrival after leaving the hotel. To hear Franklin’s description, you can watch today’s press conference. Jump to the 31:40 mark to hear my question — which focused on the moment when the Blue Buses pulled up the stadium — and Franklin’s response.

Listening to Franklin’s explanation is the best way to get the whole story, and here are a few notes:

— the team buses wind through campus, and the route is much longer than I previously thought;

— there’s a tailgating crew that Franklin sees each home game on the way to the stadium, with him saying, “They’re playing corn hole and having a good time, and they usually give us a big cheer when we go by.”

— in describing the the buses’ path, Franklin acknowledged: “to be honest, I don’t know any names of streets in State College”; it was a somewhat funny moment, and you’ll want to check it out, as the team’s media staff helped the head coach name the streets on the fly.

Starting at the beginning — like Franklin did with his response — makes sense, because by doing so, you gain full appreciation for what the moment is like when the team arrives at the stadium, where the area’s packed with family, friends, and alumni.

 “It’s another opportunity for our players to see their parents one more time, their loved ones, before we go in,” Franklin said. “They usually have the stage set up there, and the band and cheerleaders, and it’s really cool. Then, I do my lap.

“I think it’s a great way to start the game experience, and you get a pretty good sense pretty early on from the time we leave the hotel of what type of environment it’s going to be in Beaver Stadium.”

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

09.28.21
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Penn Staters At The Next Level: Week Three

The juggernaut Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in what could be an early-season preview of the NFC Championship Game.

Former Nittany Lion Chris Godwin continued his strong start to the season.

CG14 tallied six catches for 74 yards and a rushing touchdown in the first quarter.

Pat Freiermuth, Tight End, Pittsburgh Steelers

Boy, the Steelers offense sure is struggling at the moment. Pittsburgh certainly has the skill players to be a good offense. It’s just looking like Ben Roethlisberger is over the hill and the offensive line isn’t at the level of recent Steelers seasons.

Still, Pat Freiermuth provided a nice highlight for both fans of the black and gold and fans of the blue and white.

The former Penn State tight end notched his first NFL touchdown on this neat play design late in the first quarter to get Pittsburgh on the board. Pat finished with three catches for 22 yards and that score.

Saquon Barkley, Running Back, New York Giants

The Giants are a bit of a mess, and Saquon is still able to produce highlights.

He had some eye-catching leaps during his time in Happy Valley and showed that prowess off again on Sunday against the Falcons.

Blake Gillikin, Punter, New Orleans Saints

Photos: Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

I’m always eager to show punters a little love, especially when they’re a Penn Stater!

Blake Gillikin had the best day of his NFL career to date, tallying five punts for a 48.9-yard average. His long came on a 56 yard boot.

The Saints remain somewhat of a hot and cold team. In Week One, they hammered the Green Bay Packers, who have gone on to win two straight since. In Week Two, New Orleans was dominated by the Panthers. This week, they handled the Patriots in Foxborough with relative ease.

Amani Oruwariye, Cornerback, Detroit Lions

Overshadowed by Justin Tucker’s mammoth 66-yard game-winning kick for Baltimore (seriously, that was incredible), Amani made a huge play when Detroit needed it late in the fourth quarter.

On third-and-10, Oruwariye intercepted Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to give the ball back to the Lions offense. Detroit nailed a field goal of its own to go up 17-16. Unfortunately for the Lions and their fans, Justin Tucker might be the greatest kicker of all time. Tough break, but Amani still made a huge play and hats off to him for that.

To view each of the Nittany Lions currently on NFL rosters, click here.

09.26.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Villanova

Here are 20 quick observations/notes from another successful Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where Penn State improved to 4-0 with a 38-17 win over Villanova.

1. We’re starting off with a non-football related note, though an important one. Penn Staters led the way during the Big Ten’s recent One Big Week, which focused on supporting the student emergency fund. Alumni and friends made more than 2,900 gifts resulting in raising $214,000. Collectively, Big Ten universities raised over $600,000 from more than 5,800 gifts. Penn State supporters drove overall event success, contributing half of the total gifts and more than a third of the total dollars raised. You can read full details on Penn State News, and sincere thanks to everyone who contributed a gift.

2. Team arrival was packed. We took this photo a few minutes before the Blue Buses pulled up to the stadium.

Thousands of Penn Staters welcomed James Franklin and the Nittany Lions on Saturday morning at Beaver Stadium. If you want to attend team arrival this season, it’s usually 2.5 hours before kickoff and features performances from the Blue Band, Nittany Lion, Penn State Cheerleaders, and Lionettes. Photo credit: John Patishnock

3. We also captured the full team arrival, and our video includes seeing James Franklin and the Nittany Lions greeting the fans.

4. Two of my favorite signs spotted at team arrival read: “Hey Nittany Lions, it’s my first game. Please help me have a ball” — double meaning since players hand out autographed football on their to the stadium during team arrival — and “#14 Sean, I’m open.”

5. A few years ago, I started a new tradition of taking my own pregame lap at the stadium after arriving early. Not sure if it’s something I started doing because of James Franklin’s traditional pregame lap, though I’ve found it’s a good idea to take a few minutes, breathe deeply, and both appreciate and get ready for the opportunity ahead of me that day.

6. The Blue Band, Nittany Lion, Penn State Cheerleaders, and Lionettes truly make game day feel like game day. We captured a nice sequence before the game, with the Mic Man asking the crowd if they’re ready for Penn State football. Guessing you already know the answer.

7. While it looked a little different with a noon kick than at night, the team entrance prior to kickoff still looked and felt electric. See the team making its way through the south tunnel with our video.

8. Hearing the Blue Band play the alma mater is always great. Watch our video to go onto the field at Beaver Stadium and see the Nittany Lions sing along after the game.

9. The Nittany Lions rang the Victory Bell following Saturday’s win. See the action up close, including Sean Clifford, Arnold Ebiketie, and James Franklin celebrating with fans.

10. The Nittany Lions won their eighth straight game, with an announced attendance of 105,790. Some fans might grumble that Penn State only won by 21, though a quick look at yesterday’s national scoreboard will show Wisconsin, Minnesota, Clemson, Texas A&M, and USC (among others) all losing as favorites. Like James Franklin says, it’s all about going 1-0 each week.

11. Onward State posted a nice photo of the crowd. As the post states, not bad for a noon kickoff.

12. Two-time Super Bowl champion Stefen Wisniewski was at Beaver Stadium on Saturday to serve as honorary team captain. Penn State football posted some nice photos to Instagram.

13. The S-Zone looked great. So did the THON gold ribbon, which students organized to the direct right of the S-Zone. Shoutout to Lion Ambassadors for their tireless work, and you can learn more about the Alumni Association group and the S-Zone with our story. Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford snapped this photo Saturday.

14. I rode the elevator with Matt Millen as the Penn State All-American and four-time Super Bowl champ made his way to the press box to call the game for BTN. It was nice to see Millen, who received a heart transplant a few years ago as he was in the hospital battling amyloidosis, a rare disease that attacks the heart. 

15. With about a minute left in the game, Sean Clifford obliged a young fan asking for an autograph. Clifford signed a football and handed it to the youngster who was sporting a Penn State hat and Saquon Barkley jersey. Clifford threw for a career-best 401 yards and tied his best one-game mark with four passing touchdowns.

16. Similarly, senior defensive end Arnold Ebiketie stopped for a photograph with a fan after he wrapped his media session on the field. Ebiketie finished with three tackles and a sack.

17. Let’s keep the good vibes going: As I left the stadium Saturday, I saw Parker Washington posing for a photo with a fan. Washington caught two touchdowns and totaled five catches for 148 yards. 

18. Lots of tailgates were still going strong after the game. Including one that was rocking to Tom Petty. 

19. This week’s clash with Indiana is set for a 7:30 p.m. kick on ABC. A lot of people will play up the revenge angle after last year — though I don’t think that tired cliché plays a role for this year’s team. Penn State has higher goals than avenging a loss to a middle-tier team, unranked team. 

20. Go State. Beat the Hoosiers. 

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

09.23.21
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Old School Football

Football Letter creator Ridge Riley shared details of Penn State’s last two contests with Villanova in issues of the letter sent in 1949 and ’51. Photo credit: John Patishnock

Even though the games happened more than 70 years ago, I didn’t have to go far to find details on Penn State’s last two contests against in-state foe Villanova. All I had to do was turn around and open a drawer.

Let me explain.

We’ve been formally/informally organizing past issues of The Football Letter, and the more seasoned issues are held in safe-keeping in a climate-controlled environment. Specifically, my filing cabinets.

While Penn State leads the all-time series 5-3-1, Villanova’s actually won the last three times the teams have played, including in 1949 and ’51. We have Football Letter issues of these two games. Quick point, in case you’re wondering, the Penn State-Villanova series started in 1902, with the other games taking place up to 1936, so we don’t have issues for the Nittany Lions’ victories in the series (The Football Letter was started in 1938).

We won’t dwell on the details — the Wildcats won 27-6 in ’49 and 20-14 two years later — though it’s worth pointing out the ’51 game occurred in Rip Engle’s second season as head coach. Football Letter creator and author Ridge Riley spoke to Engle the following Sunday morning for an interview, and wrote “we” and “our” throughout the letter to indicate that Riley considered himself and The Football Letter very much part of the football program.

We should point out here that Riley’s assessment is absolutely true.

A few years ago, we uncovered an interview that Riley had with Joe Paterno in the mid-70s, and during the conversation, Paterno emphasized the importance of Riley including certain points he was making within The Football Letter. Reason being that if fans didn’t read about it in the Football Letter, they wouldn’t read or hear about it anywhere else.

Back to that 1951 contest. Here are a few other notes worth passing along.

— Penn State President Milton Eisenhower sat in the student section for the game, and afterward, visited the locker room to inform Engle that despite the loss, it was “the best game I’ve ever seen.”

— The Nittany Lions rushed the ball 59 times for a total net gain of 346 yards. Villanova, meanwhile, totaled 42 carries for a net gain of 186 yards.

— Reserving a ticket for home games in the 1951 season set you back $3.60 for reserved seats on the side, though you could get a seat behind the end zone for a discounted price of $2.40. And if you wanted to see Penn State play at Pitt in the season finale on Nov. 24, you needed to shell out a little more ($5.20) for a box seat.

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

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Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

09.23.21
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Penn State Preview: Villanova

Each week, we’ll tell you what to expect, what to keep an eye on, and where and when you can catch the Nittany Lions this football season.

Game details: No. 6/8 Penn State (3-0) vs. Villanova (3-0). Noon ET kick-off, broadcast on Big Ten Network.

Venue: Beaver Stadium.

Weather Forecast (via AccuWeather): High of 70 degrees. Times of clouds and sun; a great afternoon for football.

The Line: Penn State -30.5 (via SI Sportsbook).

All-Time Series: Penn State is 5-3-1 all-time against the Wildcats. 

Last Meeting: The last matchup between the Nittany Lions and Wildcats came all the way back in 1951. The game was played at the Allentown High School Stadium. Villanova emerged victorious, 20-14.

Last Week: Penn State held off Auburn in front of an electric White Out crowd. Villanova took down CAA foes Richmond, 34-27.

Penn State Wins If: It remains focused on going 1-0 this week. It’s easy to get distracted after a huge win against an SEC opponent last week in primetime. But it’s a brand new week. In college football, anything can and has happened. James Franklin will have been preaching to his players all week that this isn’t a time to get comfortable and bask in what they did a week ago. One hundred percent focus on Villanova equals a 4-0 start.

Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

Villanova Wins If: Penn State has a major White Out letdown. If you’re expecting another 79-7 shellacking of an FCS opponent like the one Penn State dished out to Idaho a few years ago, you’re mistaken. Villanova is a legitimate FCS contender, and ranks No. 7 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The Wildcats are second in the FCS in total defense and they’ve forced 11 takeaways on the season. While Penn State should win this one comfortably, I don’t expect Villanova to get beaten by 70-plus points. The Nittany Lions can’t just show up and expect to win.

Count On: The Penn State running game to get plenty of opportunities to figure things out. It was another sluggish day for the rushing attack against Auburn’s front seven last week (84 yards on 33 attempts). If there was ever a week for things to finally click, this is it. All due respect to Villanova — and I mean that because its defense has only allowed 89 yards total on the ground through three games — if the Nittany Lions can’t find a way to move the ball on the ground, I’m not sure they ever will with consistency this season. I expect OC Mike Yurcich to try to feed Noah Cain, Keyvonne Lee and even John Lovett early and often to try and get this area of the offense some momentum. Penn State will need its running game to get significantly better as the meat of its Big Ten slate looms.

Keep An Eye On: Other wide receivers not named Jahan Dotson, Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith to showcase what they can offer. Penn State has as good of a top three wide receiver trio as anyone in the Big Ten. This is a great opportunity for veterans Cam Sullivan-Brown and Daniel George and youngsters like Liam Clifford and Harrison Wallace to demonstrate that if called upon, they can contribute in this offense.

Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

Trivia Tidbit: With wins over then-No. 12/15 Wisconsin and then-No. 22/20 Auburn, Penn State has two wins over ranked teams within the first three games of the season for the first time in program history.

Sweet Caroline Moment: New category here to spice things up a bit. It’s always a running debate of when we’ll hear “Sweet Caroline” blasted over the Beaver Stadium speakers during a game. Put me down for about halfway through the third quarter as Penn State leads by at least 17 points.

Predictions:

John Patishnock: Penn State 55, Villanova 10
Vincent Lungaro: Penn State 44, Villanova 13

For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

09.22.21
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Penn Staters At The Next Level: Week Two

As a die-hard Chiefs fan it pained me a little bit to write this week’s Penn Staters At The Next Level story, as former Nittany Lion Odafe Oweh made the game-changing play for the Baltimore Ravens in their thrilling win over Kansas City on Sunday Night Football.

With the Chiefs driving into Ravens territory late in the game and looking to take the lead, Oweh came up huge for his defense.

The rookie edge rusher fought off a block and knocked the ball loose from the arms of the usually fumble-proof Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Oweh proceeded to pounce on the ball and secure a win for Baltimore.

Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys

In his first game at defensive end since high school, all Micah Parsons did was earn Pro Football Focus’ Rookie of The Week honors. Playing on the edge of the line because of several injuries for Dallas, Micah made his presence felt in the team’s 20-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

He recorded eight quarterback pressures and his first career sack after forcing LA quarterback Justin Herbert into an intentional grounding penalty in the fourth quarter. The penalty put LA in a hole and forced them to kick a field-goal instead of punching in a touchdown.

Allen Robinson II, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears

Photo By Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

For the first time this season, Allen Robinson found the end zone. Robinson beat his defender on an inside move and snagged the pass from Andy Dalton to put the Bears ahead early 7-0.

A-Rob finished the day with just two catches for 24 yards and that score, but it proved to be a key play in Chicago’s narrow 20-17 win.

DaQuan Jones, Defensive Tackle, Carolina Panthers

Another productive day for a former Nittany Lions defensive star. DaQuan Jones registered his first sack of the season by bringing down Saints quarterback Jameis Winston on fourth down.

Jones and the rest of the Panthers defense stifled the same high-powered Saints attack that ran roughshod over the Packers just a week ago.

To view each of the Penn State players on NFL rosters, click here.

09.21.21
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‘First-class product’

The enhancements stood out immediately.

The blue concert-like directional lighting. The glistening new paint job. The rather enormous 1-0 banner. They all smack you in the face, metaphorically speaking. All these changes (i.e., improvements) were installed in the Beaver Stadium south tunnel before the Nittany Lions’ home opener against Ball State on Sept. 11.

The south tunnel is off-limits to nearly all fans, though it doubles as one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire stadium.

Why?

For one: every single recruit who has field access passes through the tunnel. I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that each of them is imagining what it’d be like to run through that tunnel on game day when they’re playing college ball. In James Franklin’s best-case scenario, those recruits are playing for Penn State.

Another reason: The upgrades make for pretty darn good television. Franklin mentioned ESPN and ABC when discussing the enhancements, saying the team wanted to clean up those images a bit. Not that the images looked bad before, but slapping on a new coat of paint and installing those lights adds a ton of production value. You can see an up-close view with the above video, which shows Franklin and the team heading toward the field prior to kickoff Saturday night.

And going back to the recruits. Nearly all of them — and most of their family members — are holding up a phone recording the action. Whether it’s a visiting high school player, a returning letterman, someone watching on television, or a current player or coach, the visual impact hits.

“We just want to make sure that everything we do, we’re presenting Penn State in a way that everybody looks at and says, ‘That’s first class and that’s sharp and that’s impressive,’ and that was another opportunity to do it that way,” Franklin said. “So when the eyes of the world — specifically the sports world — are on us, that everything that people see and associate with Penn State is first class and creative and fun and represents our brand the right way. I feel like that does right now.” 

Franklin continued:

“For our players, it’s a very short walk but I think they feel it too, they sense it as well. We want a first-class product. We want to make sure that we’re treating everybody in a first-class way on the front end, and I think we probably have more alignment with those types of things than we’ve ever had.”

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

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Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

09.19.21
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The Roaring 20: Penn State-Auburn

ESPN’s College Game Day broadcasted live from Old Main Lawn on Saturday morning. Check out our links below for plenty of video and photo coverage from an incredibly fun, successful, and exciting weekend in Happy Valley. Photo credit: John Patishnock

1. The noise Saturday night at Beaver Stadium was truly unrelenting. 2021 Auburn is right up there with 2002 Nebraska, 2005 Ohio State, and 2016 Ohio State, among others. 

2. Saw plenty of Auburn fans in Happy Valley over the last few days. Everyone was cordial and glad to be in State College. Looking forward to being on the receiving end of some southern hospitality next year. 

 3. The on-field celebration between players and fans was exuberant. See the jubilation up close with our video coverage. 

4. We usually keep the video on the team during the alma mater, though it’s good to mix things up, and we got some nice crowd shots during last night’s playing. It was an emotional scene, and you can visit our Facebook page to see fans and players enjoy the moment. 

5. College Game Day was such a thrill (again). Penn State’s the only school to host the wildly popular show for the last five years — the crew visited last year for the game against the Buckeyes — and not for nothing, having the show air on Old Main Lawn is the perfect backdrop for not just Penn State, but all of college football. 

6. James Franklin appeared on set to lots of applause. Check out him making his way toward the set Saturday morning.

7. Shoutout to Penn State fans for some clever signs.

8. You get the feeling Game Day host Rece Davis genuinely enjoys his time at Penn State. Davis, an Alabama graduate, has always spoken highly of the Berkey Creamery, the fans, and other aspects of Happy Valley. See Davis thank the crowd at Game Day after the show wrapped. We had an awesome view from the Old Main Bell Tower.

9. Lee Corso picked Penn State to end Game Day, with guest picker Saquon Barkley cheering him on. See the action from the Bell Tower, and you can see a little bit bigger view by looking at the screens on the side and above the stage. 

10. Speaking of the Bell Tower, we also snapped this photo. See anyone you recognize? 

11. After his appearance on Game Day, Franklin quickly made his way through the crowd — he had a busy day — and he welcomed Auburn fans to Penn State. This is something Franklin routinely does, greeting fans and staff from opposing schools. It’s a simple gesture, though I’m sure it’s something people remember. I know I do.

12. Barkley signed autographs for fans during his visit to the set. Associate Athletic Director Kris Petersen snapped this photo of Barkley with the fans.

13. Seeing the Blue Buses pull up to Beaver Stadium never gets old.

14. There must’ve been at least two dozen lettermen in attendance against Auburn, and that’s probably a low estimate. In addition to Barkley, Grant Haley, Michael Mauti, and Adam Taliaferro, who all led “We Are” cheers on the field during breaks, other lettermen watching from the field included Reggie Givens and Shelley Hammonds, just to name two.

15. Sweet Caroline never disappoints. Check out our video from the White Out.

16. Penn State has the most impressive 3-0 record in the country. No other team has beaten such formidable opponents, including one on the road. 

17. To the tailgating crew that lent me a bottle of water on my way out of the stadium at close to 1 a.m., I meant it when I said I’d remember your kindness. I’ll find a way to pay it forward. And if I pass by your tailgate again this season, I’ll be sure to say hello and thank you again. 

18. Alumni Association CEO Paul Clifford and I stopped by the Paul Anderson-hosted tailgate Saturday to speak with the former president of our Middle Tennessee Chapter. We spoke with Anderson for a segment that’ll air on a future episode of Football Letter Live. Sign up for this season’s episodes online.

19. Last week’s episode was so enjoyable. We’re so fortunate that talented and inspiring Penn Staters are gracious enough to share their time with us. We welcomed Rocket City Chapter President Hilary Justh ’97, Penn State football author Jordan Hyman ’99, and beloved football letterman Adam Taliaferro ’05 last Thursday night, and you can view the archived episode on our Facebook or YouTube page. There’s even a Star Wars intro for one of our guests. We encourage you to watch to find out which one.

20. Go State. Beat the Wildcats.

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For more on The Football Letter, including online archives (requires Alumni Association member log-in), click here.

Not yet an Alumni Association member? Click here.

Follow the Football Letter on Twitter for more videos, photos, and features.

09.16.21
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PENN STATE PREVIEW: AUBURN

Each week, we’ll tell you what to expect, what to keep an eye on, and where and when you can catch the Nittany Lions this football season.

Game details: No. 10/12 Penn State (2-0) vs No. 22/20 Auburn (2-0). 7:30 p.m. ET kick-off, broadcast on ABC.

Venue: Beaver Stadium

Weather Forecast (via AccuWeather): Humid with some sun; fog in the morning, then a stray t-shower in the afternoon. High of 80.

The Line: Penn State -6.5

All-Time Series: This is the third matchup between the two schools, with each splitting wins in the previous two meetings.

Last Meeting: Penn State fell 13-9 against the Tigers in the 2002 Capital One Bowl. Robbie Gould hit three field goals for the Nittany Lions.

Throwback Classic (1995): In the 1995 Outback Bowl, Penn State crushed Auburn, 43-14 behind quarterback Wally Richardson. Wally threw for four touchdown passes while Bobby Engram recorded four catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Last Week: Penn State topped Ball State in the Lions’ home opener, 44-13. Auburn, meanwhile, crushed FCS foe Alabama State, 62-0.

Photos by Steve Manuel/The Football Letter

The Lead: What an atmosphere we’ve got brewing in Happy Valley. White Out. Game Day. SEC opponent. Primetime. If you love college football, it doesn’t get much better than this. Both teams come into this game with a lot of momentum, having started each of their seasons at 2-0. The Nittany Lions have certainly faced the tougher opposition compared to the Tigers, picking up wins over then-No. 12 Wisconsin on the road before a convincing home win over defending MAC Champs Ball State last week. Auburn dispatched Akron and Alabama State with ease in the first two weeks but Penn State will obviously be a much bigger test for first-year head coach Bryan Harsin.

Penn State Wins If: The Nittany Lions can win the big play and turnover battle. There’s not much that gets a home crowd going more than big plays on offensive and forced turnovers on defense. James Franklin always preaches about the need to win the explosive play battle and finish on the plus side in the turnover margin. Penn State has done just that in the opening two weeks and it’s set them up for success. Much like Sean Clifford, Tigers signal caller Bo Nix is an experienced quarterback with plenty of big game experience. He won’t be easily rattled by the electric atmosphere inside Beaver Stadium. Though, if Arnold Ebiketie and the rest of the Penn State defensive line can get pressure and force him to make decisions quicker than he’d like to, that bodes well for the Nittany Lions with the terrific secondary that they employ.

Auburn Wins If: Bo Nix balls out. As mentioned above, Bo Nix is not a stranger to playing on the road in hostile environments. Heck, he’s had to do it just about every week in the SEC the past two years as Auburn’s starting quarterback. He’s going to need to be at his best if Auburn is going to pull off the road upset. If the blocking holds up well up front for Auburn and Nix is afforded the time and space to able to create with his arm and his legs, the Tigers can move the ball against this stingy Nittany Lions defense. Then, if Nix and Auburn can capitalize on those drives by getting into the end zone, the Tigers certainly have what it takes to win this game. Much was expected of Nix upon his arrival as a freshman, it hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations. But there’s no bigger and better showcase for you to re-announce yourself to the college football world than this Saturday’s showdown.

Count On: A few false start penalties for Auburn. Yes, yes, Auburn players have certainly played in environments that were loud before. Still, it really doesn’t matter your experience level, noise makes a difference for communication on offense. I’m not saying the crowd will be why the Tigers lose the game, but a few early-game jitters where the blue and white fans hollering at full volume will result in a few penalties for the Tigers offense.

Keep An Eye On: Noah Cain. The Penn State running game hasn’t fully clicked into gear yet, but it looks to be building each week. Cain had a productive day last week against Ball State (69 yards rushing and a touchdown). Look for him to carry that over to this week’s game. The Nittany Lions will need him against this SEC front seven.

Trivia Tidbit: This is Auburn’s first Big Ten road game since 1931. That’s before the SEC was even formed.

Predictions:

John Patishnock: Penn State 42, Auburn 13

Vincent Lungaro: Penn State 38, Auburn 24