[Mudslide]

Hey, it's that time of year again...when everyone's favorite team is undefeated and full of hope!  Let's know what you hear is going on with your team and what you expect.  Lots of room for feelings and opinions here.

Mine?  Well, you guys know I'm an Oregon Duck fanboy.  I'm looking for them to get back into the College Football Playoff (CFP) again...even without Heisman winning qb, Marcus Mariota.  (We had 7 offensive starters injured and out of the first ever CFP final game...which went to Ohio State.  )

The team is absolutely loaded with talent everywhere....guys without the 5* status, but coached up to peak abilities.  This team has been underrated for years, and is again this year.  My only concern is a full d-backfield of new starters and/or green freshmen.  I think, though, that Oregon rocks again this year!!  Watch for rb (Rolls) Royce Freeman to be in the national sports news as the next possible Heisman winner.   Look for the early season national televised game against Michigan State.

Now where is the Michigan State love?   

[Emil]

Hey Mudslide

Looking forward to the season myself. There's nothing like college football

Never attended Penn State or even went away to college. My daughter will be a junior this year so you can say Im living it through her



The effects of the sanctions really showed last year. The offensive line had major issues putting together a running game and keeping defensive lineman off Hackenberg. Golden Boy was sacked 44 times last season. An average of about 4 times per game.
This year they will have their full allotment of scholarships.

Games I'm looking forward to:

1) Rutgers
Last year was their first year in the Big 10 and Penn State was their first interconference game.
To say that Penn State fans were treated badly at Rutgers was an understatement. Assaults were even reported. Rutger's President did release a formal apology.
This year its in Happy Valley. Hope all goes well

2) Maryland
Also their first year in the Big10. Maryland players refused to shake hands at the coin toss which caused a stir of course. Maryland President released a formal apology.
Hoping for a major beatdown in this game

3) Ohio State
What can you say when their 3rd string quarterback take them to and wins the Championship.
The Lions did give then all they could handle last year at State College taking them into double OT.
Two very questionable calls/ no calls might have swayed things differntly
http://onwardstate.com/2015/08/01/big-ten-coordinator-of-officials-admits-officiating-mistakes-in-penn-state-ohio-state-game/

4) Michigan
White Out game. One of the toughest venues to play at least for these OSU players
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlhr7Dh3jQ
last years game between the two was the worst game I've seen in a while. It wasnt a matter of who was the better team but who was the worst. We'll see what Jim Harbaugh put together.
Still have a huge smile from the 4 OT win in 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgSqzckZg-4

5) Illinois
  I have tickets for that game

[dpatters]

Nice post Emil.  My wife and I are alums (1978) and still live in State College about 3 miles from campus.  It's nice to get back to a level
playing field as far as scholarships. Probably take another year or two to get back to full depth but recruiting is going great!

Enjoy the games!!  WE ARE!!!

Don P.

[JLM]

I'm a Michigan State fan (son and daughter graduated from there, still live 30 miles away).  Growing up it was (and still is in most of the state) easier to be a U/M fan.  Even searching for "Michigan State football" brings up on top an article about Ohio State forecasted to win the Big 10 with a picture of Harbaugh.     Will we ever get past being the ugly step child?

And what's this continued crap about a conference called Big 10 that has 14 schools?  Nothing against Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, or Nebraska but the identity has been lost.  And why can't they come up with a new/better name?

Am happy for their #6 ranking (less attention versus a higher ranking with the whole season ahead of us to move up).  But honestly college football teams shouldn't be ranked until October and basketball until January.  Too many unknowns to make good guesses and if wrong the teams profit or suffer under that early ranking.  And it leaves too much leeway for perennial favorites (like Norte Dame) to be given high rankings early and only lightly punished for defeats or close wins during the season (who thankfully we don't play this year). 

The Oregon game will be a real test, but is in East Lansing this time around (Oregon is one of my favorite teams).  We should have at least 6 wins going into Ann Arbor mid-season and hopefully 9 wins before traveling to Columbus on November 21st.  Regardless Michigan State always sells lots of bowl tickets so we should get a good draw.

[Emil]

Nice post Emil.  My wife and I are alums (1978) and still live in State College about 3 miles from campus.  It's nice to get back to a level
playing field as far as scholarships. Probably take another year or two to get back to full depth but recruiting is going great!

Enjoy the games!!  WE ARE!!!

Don P.

Thanks, Don

I'm on Long Island and have followed the Jets/Giants for years but nothing gets my stomach in a knot like Penn State gameday.

Had the pleasure of seeing then at Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College.
Crowd must have been roughly 80% PSU fans. It was Happy Valley in the South Bronx

[dpatters]

Well you sure saw a great game

[milford3]

Nebraska..  Enough said.

[thunderbrick]

Nebraska..  Enough said.

Nebraska.  Too much said.     

[Hi-Fi Obsession]

More Michigan State love right here!  Class of 2003. 

I've been dreaming of the Oregon game for months now.  I'm even aging some Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout for the occasion!

Rob

[Mudslide]

Fine post, Emil.  I love PSU.  I have a friend teaching there.  I think the team got handed a bad deal by the NCAA.  Thank goodness they corrected the aggravation.  My Ducks have faced some bad sports too.  Arizona fans threw bottles at our players and cheerleaders from the stands last year.  Hospitalized one girl.  I am not a fan of that team.  I hope we put up another basketball score on them.  Also, FSU are really bad sports.  After Oregon smoked 'em in the Rose Bowl last year, they ran off the field without handshakes...including their principle criminal, Jameis Winston.  (He later claimed that they played an even game with UO and could easily have won!  OH YEAH?!  59-20 was real close all right.   )

JLM, HFO...that game should be a great game.  I know you guys are craving a rematch...and I worry that all those returning players you have are going to be really hard to beat.  But HFO...that Breakfast Stout should drown whatever sorrows may befall.  A good, clean, close game is what I'm hoping for.

And LOL...you guys leave Nebraska alone.     Oregon's poor cousin, Oregon State...their coach just took over the Huskers.  Looks like the B1G just got a little stale.   

[Emil]

And what's this continued crap about a conference called Big 10 that has 14 schools?  Nothing against Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State, or Nebraska but the identity has been lost.  And why can't they come up with a new/better name?

I agree, JLM

How about  Big 14?

[Emil]

Mudslide

So how many uniform combos are they wearing this year?

PSU is taking a step backwards with the removal of the players names from their jerseys.

They're marketing it as " black shoes, basic blues, no names, all game"

[Emil]

'm a Michigan State fan (son and daughter graduated from there, still live 30 miles away).  Growing up it was (and still is in most of the state) easier to be a U/M fan.  Even searching for "Michigan State football" brings up on top an article about Ohio State forecasted to win the Big 10 with a picture of Harbaugh.     Will we ever get past being the ugly step child?

I hear ya, JLM

My niece, Univ Michigan alumini and  elitist snot , considers PSU and all orders as warm up games for their game with OSU. She's been quiet the last few years thou

[JLM]

Mudslide

So how many uniform combos are they wearing this year?

PSU is taking a step backwards with the removal of the players names from their jerseys.

They're marketing it as " black shoes, basic blues, no names, all game"

While I like all the snazzy Oregon uniforms I also like the very traditional Penn State look.  Still a fan of Pappa Joe.  Am opposed to putting player's names, company names, conference identification, or bowl game on the uniforms.  Plenty of ads without plastering them all over.  Colleges shouldn't be pimping the players so overtly.  And isn't this supposed to be a team sport?

[Vulcan00]

I like Penn State uniforms

[Mudslide]

Mudslide

So how many uniform combos are they wearing this year?

PSU is taking a step backwards with the removal of the players names from their jerseys.

They're marketing it as " black shoes, basic blues, no names, all game"

You may be interested in what Nike/Oregon does concerning their unis.  Check out this short article.  (I couldn't get the gallery to open, though.)  http://news.nike.com/news/oregon-ducks-spring-game-uniforms-honor-service-men-and-women

And who wouldn't want the O-line to look like a road grader?!   

[Mudslide]

LOL, or how about this one?! 

[JimJ]

I'll be happy with a .500 Virginia Tech season...

[Mudslide]

I'll be happy with a .500 Virginia Tech season...

Please, oh PLEASE beat tOSU again!   

[Mudslide]

Guys, Dantonio has been all over ESPN the last two days.  He's a great coach.  As a speaker...not so much.