How can anyone possibly predict a season before the first game is even played? I was happy to see PSU ranked in the top 10, McSorely a mention in the Heisman race and Herbie selecting PSU as a playoff contender. That was nice to see, but unrealistic this early in the season. All that preseason hype caused a close game with App State to cause concerns after just 4 quarters into the new season.
Back in 2016, PSU had a tight game with Kent State (16-13 at half), beat Temple by 7, lost to Pitt by 3, lost to Michigan by 39, beat Minny in OT, and then out scored their remaining opponents by 185 points including a big win over the Buckeyes and then they won the BIG 10 and probably should have been selected to for the playoffs!!
In week 2 of 2016, Penn State was NOWHERE to be found in the top 25 ( or top 40 for that matter). BUT, on week 15 they were sitting at NO 5 just looking outside of the playoff picture.
I will take the OT win over Appy and get ready for another weekend of Nittany Lion football!
WE ARE!!!!
Did I see you on the Veranda at HH tonight?
The games tell the story, not guys like Herbie.
So you think that McSorley being a Heisman hopeful somehow contributed to the team playing bad?
Funny how none of this "hype" seemed to matter early on last year... Look, hype doesn't cause a team to play bad, it just brings expectations of the fans to ridiculous levels sometimes. It's just nonsense the media likes to drum up. "Outside distractions" is a great story, talk about it all week and if the team plays bad then blame it on the stuff. If they don't play bad, then they "overcame" it... Even though most if not all of the players couldn't give two #$@#$ what the media is saying.
Or maybe we just played a bad game against a good team? You know, it's possible... I'm sure Clemson fans were saying the same thing when they squeaked out a win against Troy 30-24 back in 2016, then went on to win the natty.
I can tell you that the players more than likely are unaware what these bloviating gasbags are pontificating about from week to week...Between School, Practice and Preparation these players barely have time to fit in some social time for their girlfriends and college life...I can tell you that players could care a less what anybody thinks because the only people that can affect the outcome is them...Sports is not an opinion based activity but a results based activity...Talk is cheap and meaningless...Players are singularly focused on one thing...The ballgame at hand...
