The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show | Penn State vs. Notre Dame Orange Bowl Preview

[@geoscobark]

Hopefully the statute of limitations has kicked but in 1983 me and couple of East Hallers hopped the Beaver Stadium fence late into the night after beating WVU for homecoming. The door to the press box was unlocked and we toured around a bit before pulling what remained of the tore down goal posts out of the ground, heaved it over the fence, dragged it back to East, corkscrewed it up the stairs, stowed it in a room and over the following weeks proceeded to allow anyone who wanted a section to cut it up with a hack saw. The funniest part -- halfway to the dorm I looked back and saw we left the lights on in the press box. Whoops. Still have my segment.

[@josephconfer5924]

I tied on a great drunk at the Gman in State College during week long training session through an invite from a great friend , stayed at the Nittany Lion Inn for free and could not remember where my Jeep was parked the next morning until the security guard remembered me coming in the night before lol

[@B1Gspirit]

The age differences within this group are what makes you guys the best!

[@ForTheBlogy]

22 to 122

[@columnatedruinsdomino6430]

Cold Notre Dame game was 1987. Absolutely brutal. We stopped their late 2pt conversion attempt to win 21-20. Great show guys!

[@jackstraw6880]

All of our drinks not in a cooler exploded in our trunk during the game…

[@Hussaria]

I was in senior student section. It was miserable and wet. Also, 2 years before against ND, it was another soaker.

[@drunkpiece2522]

Great episode guys. Hopefully we see you for one more random number generator this season.

[@Calabrin1]

54:00 - Andy Kotelnicki called a bad game. I don’t know if it’s because he had a preconceived idea that this was going to be about Drew Allar, and trying to make him look like a star, or if it’s because they were able to connect on two long passes early, or if it was something else. Drew started the game 10-13 passing. Boise State started bringing the non-stop blitz pressure somewhere around the mid-point of Q2 and from there, Drew went 3-12 the rest of the game, and ate 4 sacks. His mechanics deteriorated into happy feet and releasing the ball with his legs underneath his hips instead of stepping into his throws, and it was clear he just didn’t know what to do when Boise St. got penetration. Despite this, AK kept calling for down field passes, ironically the very thing Penn State should have done against Ohio State, but didn’t. Kotelnicki never shifted to quick slants, didn’t have Drew roll out to avoid immediate pressure, and it took him way too long to recognize that the run game was unstoppable and PSU should just keep pounding the rock. Drew had at least six straight incomplete passes between the end of Q2 and the start of Q3, and while he did make a clutch TD throw to Warren for Warren’s 2nd TD catch of the day, it was really Warren that made a great catch on a pretty terrible throw that was nearly out of reach of a target that’s 6’6” and a tremendous talent.

[@ChrisBuchignani]

No lies told here tbf. The win papers over what was a shaky night for AK, and your critiques of Drew are all fair also. I remember how we saw Andy immediately remedy some of his errors from the Ohio State game the following week against Washington, so let’s hope he makes similar corrections this week coming off a so-so outing in the Fiesta. Thanks for watching/commenting. Go State!

[@chriskelly167]

Drew also had to deal with the drops from the WRs

[@davemac320]

Great show guys! A few thoughts: - If we don't beat Notre Dame, the "Franklin can't win the big game.." narrative continues. Fans are grateful for the wins against SMU and Boise State, but not what you'd call "impressed". To prove we are "legit" in the minds of the fanbase, it IS important that we win. If this turns into another typical "big game under Frankiin", the fan base will NOT be pleased. - Regarding the above - perhaps our offense improves and starts to gel. In reality, our defense has carried us and while defense wins championships, the offense has to deliver. Is it a "mental/insecurity" issue? Maybe - it seems that we generally go into "big games" looking to not lose rather than win, and then we lose. This time around, we need to go in with a "WE ARE GOING TO WIN" attitude and demonstrate some confidence in our gameplan. - As an FYI - the way folks are talking about "Penn State is a 1.5 dog"/"Ohio State is the presumed champion" vibe is EXACTLY how they referred to Penn State when they faced Miami in 1986. I'm hoping for the same end result here. That team SHOCKED" the college football world - we won it with defense and one of the least impactful/most bland quarterbacks we have ever had (John Shaffer). C'mon Drew - you've got the capabilities, regardless of what you have with receivers, to take us to the next level. I have a ton of other thoughts on this, but couldn't resist sharing these. As a 50 year-long fan, I have high expectations. PLEASE...PLEASE give us reason to be helpful. In my mind, we haven't had this level of opportunity sine 1994. Let's make it like we used to be - in other words, able to "WIN THE BIG GAME'

[@bmanpsufan5722]

Best pod out there! Thanks guys- 2 more… Nobs didn’t say a winner-make him come back on

[@ForTheBlogy]

We'll make him run laps and up-downs for skipping

[@ChewTunes]

Absolutely loved this episode! No one does justice to Penn State culture and history like you guys. I met my wife at G-Man and we had our first date at Damon’s. This was a great trip down memory lane haha 🫡 WE ARE

[@ForTheBlogy]

You and the better half definitely need to rendezvous at the new We Are Inn when it opens this spring! We personally requested the new place have the old Damon's mashed potatoes (nectar of the gods). Tell the owner, Pat Romano, we sent you.

[@ChewTunes]

@ we most certainly will! I vaguely remember those mashed potatoes too haha

[@josephconfer5924]

Can't forget the Rathskeller drinking expeditions though to be thorough

[@michaelmecca5944]

I, my buddy , and B are the same. I pace all game and listen to Steve and Jack on ear buds.

[@zacherygrimm547]

I agree respect to Julian for that USC game

[@stephenmoist623]

STATE COLLEGE IS BOOMING 🥇🥇🥇🥇

[@jasonvoorhees6416]

Lifelong Penn state fan here born and raised in Columbus Ohio. I’m 45 years old . 3 teams have mattered here growing up Ohio state Penn state Norte Dame This is the biggest game in my lifetime. If this team wins they could take over for 2005 as my all time favorite Pau team

[@bklynusa2213]

They should've towed the Press Box and turned it into a bar & restaurant.

[@jeffreymakara2950]

Paul is a fellow West Hazleton Wildcat grad! Good job. We all lived the intense PSU-ND rivalry in the old hard coal region.

[@TheOnlyHelix]

Can you guys start adding the chapters in the youtube videos? I watch these during lunch and spend half of my 30 minutes trying to get to the good stuff.

[@h.l.aristosolies5292]

1:20 If I remember correctly, it was the Training Table before Damians

[@ericholmes7143]

26 -20 PSU. O line takes over in the 4th. ND D has depth issues.

[@timelkin838]

I think that's a well thought out line to pick. Some ND fans don't speak with logic but just emotion. I've seen Notre Dame wins by 13 points. It's possible but not likely. It reminds me of some of the crazy Boise fans that just aren't practical. You my friend as most PSU fans may be emotional for your team to win but are practical in your prediction.

[@Surge308]

@@timelkin838oh please don’t act like there’s not jackass fans in every base, for every game. It’s true ND does have depth issues. And doesn’t help that we’ve played more physical teams than SMU and Boise. But here’s where I’m gonna laugh. Everyone’s like “oh ND’s wins over IU and UGA don’t mean shit.” But then they’ll crown Sandusky State as soon as you guys theoretically beat that very team. Either way, doesn’t really matter. I don’t think either of our teams beat OSU. If Texas pulls an upset, sure the orange winner has a shot. One things for sure - don’t count out a Freeman team. Seems like most fans count ‘em out

[@timelkin838]

@Surge308 I never counted ND out, and PSU fans get the same treatment you guys do. You belittle our losses and act like we aren't considered overrated, and we can't beat real teams. It won't matter who wins because the narrative will turn to be the lower was bad, and the winner will face a real team in the final. I think our colleges are very much alike and I dont get the hatred. I kind of expected better from ND fans, but I think many are Bandwagon fans mixed with the real old school ones who love the game, and the bandwagon ones always talk until it's time to hope on the next train to success. That Sandusky St shit has to go, though. You of all should know better. That's like me calling you a pedo because someone in your family went to prison for it, and it's an uncle twice removed. It doesn't make sense.

[@joshbazon2764]

Penn State and Notre Dame's Football series is all-time 9-9-1 with their lone bowl matchup happening at Gator Bowl in 1976 with a loss of 20-9. Now, it's time for Penn State Football to beat Notre Dame in a Bowl game/College Football playoff game. Penn State's Offensive line needs to run the ball at Notre Dame's undermanned DT's, who are rather light in comparison to the size of Penn State's IOL! The 2021 Penn State game against Wisconsin in Camp Randall when Safety Jaquon Brisker picked off the pass at the end of the game. Every game counts, which James Franklin is correct in calling out "1-0" mentality! USC was an important win since it was a cross country win against a traditional college football blue blood like the Trojans, who are always ultra-athletic and challenged the Nittany Lions!

[@timelkin838]

A ND fan said you guys barely beat USC and as you said they are not easy to go play at home. I had to tell him Northern Illinois beating you on the road is a statement that sounds like hey you beat a team that was better than a team we lost to and therefore we are better than you. Reminded me of how the Boise fans were talking before the game like they were favorites by 14 pts.

[@ChrisBuchignani]

I talked about this on Keystone Sports this week: The USC-Minnesota game the weekend before we played them came down to a goal line play. That goes the other way and SC wins, they’re top 10 for the Penn State game. Instead, the voters walloped them and dropped them out of the polls entirely. The difference between the Trojans being a top-10 versus unranked opponent came down to a scrum in Minnesota and the subjectivity of some writers and coaches’ interns (who could’ve at least done us a solid and kept them at 25!).

[@timelkin838]

USC really looked like a top 10 team after beating LSU in the first game. You make a great point that I honestly did not consider.

[@jmaurer17]

Carbon County is absolutely coal region!

[@kevinchandler179]

WE ARE, 27-17 my Nittany Lions 🦁 dominate the trenches against ND!!!@

[@timelkin838]

You are obsessed like I am because I see you comment on all the previews over the last 2 games as well. You see the wild comments the fans of each team have made and that just makes me want it even more. In my lifetime this is the closest PSU has been to being in and winning a NC. PSU is my favorite team out all sports teams, and I will be there with you in spirit watching our boys proving everyone wrong. WE ARE!

[@KJdatdude77]

I live in the Poconos and can confirm we do have a weird amount of Notre Dame fans up here. They'll all be sad Thursday night, 23-20 🦁

[@kgardner456]

Considering we're sending 12 teams to the playoff now, maybe we should start ranking teams beyond the top #25? Even if teams got "ranked" to 30 or 35, hiccup losses, or tough road wins against so-so teams might be able to be evaluated better. I'd argue that some of Penn State's "non-ranked" wins might fall into that 25-35 area. We're already sending these teams to bs bowls anyway, why not just rank them too?

[@stephenmoist623]

FIX THE BLITZ PICK UP !!!!!

[@RSeaker]

Take away the ND running game. Tackle every ND ball carrier like they're Jeanty.

[@Rich-l6r]

Where's Goon ? 💪🏈💪🤣😅😂

[@jeffreymakara2950]

The great Ridge Riley! Unfortunately dropped dead in Joepa''s living room.