So I’ve been at home sick all week. But, do you know what was sicker? Week 3 of College Football of course! Okay, maybe it was too early for that. But as I’ve laid in bed all week, it’s given me the chance to catch up on all of this weekend’s action and what lies ahead – a defining week for many powerhouses at an early stage of this college football season.

The PSU Review:

Poor guy… If any one photo could define Penn State’s 41-12 victory versus the Tigers of Auburn, AL this weekend, it is this one. Jordan-Hare Stadium was packed to the brim on Saturday for a rematch of two unlikely opponents. This weekend was only the 4th meeting between Penn State and Auburn all-time. A Big Ten-SEC Home-Away series which started off with a 28-20 victory for PSU last year in the annual White Out game had Auburn hungry for retaliation. This 2nd leg of the series called for Auburn’s own version of the White Out, the Orange Out (although I saw quite a bit of white in that upper deck though #BeaverStadiumSouth).

Hunter’s Takeaways:

I like the color orange, but it was fun to watch the stadium become less and less of it as time rolled on throughout this game. Entering the game, I thought we were definitely going to have to earn this victory on Saturday. It is no easy task to go on the road in an SEC stadium, especially with a fanbase like Auburn’s. Auburn QB T.J. Finley is a versatile, athletic QB with a massive frame (6′ 6″ 250 lbs.!) for someone at the position. My main worry was containing their star RB Tank Bigsby, who rushed for over 100 yards in the White Out last year. Also, what kind of Sean Clifford would we see and could Penn State muster together another massive game on the ground led by Nick Singleton? To me, this was a defining game for me to see what type of team Penn State is going to be this year.

Nick Singleton (or should we call him Nick Single-run for his ability to change the game with one play) proved why he was the #1 RB recruit in the nation coming out of HS. You may have said that two weeks ago versus Ohio, but what he did against an SEC team on the road opened the eyes to everyone across the country. We have a star in this player, and I ask that the entire fanbase relishes the time that we can spend watching him take the field for the blue and white. He finished with a statline of: 10 carries, 124 yards, 2 TD’s. A true freshman everybody. The way he runs the ball, with speed and ferociousness is a sight to be seen.

My favorite college football analyst is undoubtedly Joel Klatt of FOX Sports. He is the color commentator for FOX’s Big Noon Saturday games and the host of The Joel Klatt Show on all podcast platforms. In his analysis of Penn State’s performance this weekend, I could not agree with him more in these two aspects:

1.) This Penn State team is different than last year because we have the ability to run the football. Having a run game gives your offense flexibility and does not put overbearing pressure on your QB.

2.) Sean Clifford is the type of QB that doesn’t need to do anything special to win ball games. You don’t need to ask for much, and he has the ability to lead teams to victory.

Combining these two factors leads to this one combined beauty of what I see in Penn State football right now. Last year, Sean Clifford was asked to do way too much. The running game offered no support, and he was forced to send it to Jahan to salvage points against tough opponents. This year, Clifford can do what he does: be a leader and not do anything overly special other than what is asked of him. He doesn’t have to overachieve anymore because he has a running game he can rely on. How nice is it to see a 50-yard rush by Nick Singleton twice a game? I’m sure there’s no bigger fan than #14 due to the weight it takes off of his shoulders.

Defensive efforts were outstanding this weekend, with Penn State forcing 4 turnovers (creating a +4 turnover margin as Auburn forced 0). Tank Bigsby was a non-factor, and it took Auburn until down 31-6 in the 4th quarter to even score a touchdown. Not allowing a touchdown for three quarters on the road to a very tricky opponent is something that should be widely commended of this defense. Great. Job. P.S. I’m liking Manny Diaz so far as Defensive Coordinator!

After a statement win against Auburn, the Nittany Lions look fiery. It is great to see this team firing on all cylinders and I’m loving the rallying behind the fanbase after this win.

This week, Penn State returns to Beaver Stadium to take on another opponent of the MAC Conference in the Central Michigan Chippewas. The newly ranked 14th team in the nation, PSU opens as a -28.0 favorite over CMU. Look for similar things as seen against Ohio two weeks ago, with big numbers anticipated for this offense. Kickoff is at Noon on Big Ten Network.

Around CFB:

I talked about Holy Cross’s stunning hail mary last week as if it could never be topped. Well… just take a look at the video below:

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXQ9g7rW0s4

Unbelievable. No words, really. How Appalachian State pulled off that victory over Troy is unbeknownst to me and basically anyone in existence watching this football game. One of the crazier moments I have ever seen in college football and something that I can most definitely can say will not be topped by an even better hail mary next week. This one will be hard to beat…

#1 Georgia beat South Carolina by 41 points. Utter dominance that I don’t think surprises anyone anymore. I’m still not sure where this team stacks up against last year’s legendary roster, but I’d love to see how this team performs against several currently ranked SEC opponents over a month from now.

#3 Ohio State put up 77 points on Toledo, as QB CJ Stroud looks like the Heisman favorite he was deemed in the preseason. 22-27 367 yds. 5 TD’s is a ridiculous statline for someone who got pulled after the 3rd quarter.

Washington took down #11 Michigan State by a score of 39-28 at Husky Stadium in Seattle. Indiana transfer QB Michael Penix Jr. looked exceptional for this Huskies offense, putting up 397 yds. and 4 TD’s against a top national opponent. Washington moved into the #18 spot in the AP Top 25 poll this week.

Auburn transfer QB Bo Nix led #25 Oregon to a massive 21-point victory for the Ducks over 12th-ranked BYU. Strong performance for a team trying to find its groove after that devastating 49-3 loss to Georgia in week 1.

#24 Texas A&M took down #13 Miami by a score of 17-9. This sets up a huge matchup as a I will highlight below in my “Game of the Week” with Arkansas @ A&M.

AP Top 25 Poll Week 4:

What’s Ahead in Week 4?

Hunter’s Game of the Week: #10 Arkansas vs. #23 Texas A&M (-2.0) – Despite A&M already having an upset loss to Appalachian State two weeks ago, this matchup should still provide for the audience to make sure that microwave works for the popcorn. Should be a treat watching these SEC foes collide and how Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson proves his status as one of the top QB’s in the country in front of one of the rowdiest fanbases in college football.

Maryland vs. #4 Michigan (-17.0) – Michigan’s first test of the year comes in week 4 against an undefeated Terrapin team. Do I expect Maryland led by QB Taulia Tagovailoa to pull off the upset? No. But what I do want to see is how Michigan responds to its first taste of adversity of the season to this point.

Wisconsin vs. #3 Ohio State (-18.5) – These teams have met three times in the 11-year history of the Big Ten Championship game. Ohio State is favored to win big, but beating Wisconsin is never an easy task. Another intriguing challenge for a top Big Ten squad.

#5 Clemson (-7.0) vs. #21 Wake Forest – How does this Clemson team, of which many across the country are still doubting, perform against a ranked ACC foe on the road? We’ll have to tune in to see.

#20 Florida vs. #11 Tennessee (-10.5) – Two of the SEC’s top teams square off in what should be a great matchup. Tennessee is currently favored by 10.5 points, but I can see a very realistic scenario where Florida flips that script. To me, it all hinges on the performances of Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker and Florida QB Anthony Richardson. Who can out-duel who?

An overwhelming Week 1 is over, and thus followed an eventful Week 2 of the fresh college football season. Could it possibly top the chaos we witnessed in the first week of the season? That would have been quite the task, but with what we’ve seen so far in college football, this season should be a treat for fans across the nation.

The PSU Review:

294 days later… the Beaver Stadium crowd is back. The tailgate lots were once again full, the grills were fired up, and 107,306 cheered their heads off. Football has returned to Happy Valley, and with it, the boys in blue and white rose to the occasion this past Saturday afternoon. Penn State entered the game as a 28-point favorite over the MAC team from Athens, Ohio. In an early season non-Power 5 matchup at home, it is expected that the Nittany Lions win big; and that is exactly what they did.

Hunter’s Takeaways:

In a dominant 46-10 win, my main takeaway was a new face in Beaver Stadium: #10 Nick Singleton. The top-rated RB recruit in the country according to 247 Sports, Singleton got off to a good start in his first collegiate game in West Lafayette last week. But, he proved his stardom this Saturday. With 2:28 left in the 1st quarter, QB Sean Clifford handed a shotgun snap off to Singleton where he broke a 70-yard touchdown to the house. He evaded several defenders on the run, showcased his elusive speed, and brought back memories of a certain Saquon Barkley to the minds of Nittany Nation. This is a massive development for this team, as the main factor holding the team back last year was the lack of a run game. Singleton provides a spark that we haven’t seen since the likes of Saquon, Miles Sanders, and Journey Brown. Penn State has been known for the output of NFL-caliber running backs in the Franklin era, and it’s good to see a return of a 200+ yard run game this weekend.

The Nittany Lions gave off a major “business as usual” feel this weekend. Sean Clifford did what he needed to do before getting pulled in the 3rd quarter for fan-favorite freshman QB Drew Allar. It was nice to see Allar play so well in his limited action, with his first two collegiate touchdown passes coming in his short time on the field. In terms of the QB play as a whole, Clifford threw the ball well and looked confident out on the field. There were a few plays where he made poor decisions, such as throwing into triple coverage with a wide-open Brenton Strange cutting across the middle of the field. There were a few plays where he hesitated in his decision to either throw or run. Fans have to accept that these types of plays will happen, and it’s best that Clifford gets them out of the way early in the season against a MAC opponent. Allar proved that he can be a viable college QB if Clifford were ever unavailable this season. Nothing to complain on this front.

Defensively, we looked dominant. It was great to see such pressure put on the Bobcats throughout the afternoon. I would have liked to see some more turnovers but the team only succumbed one bad TD drive by the Ohio offense all day.

This Saturday at 3:30 on CBS, we get the 2nd edition of the Home-Away series between the Auburn Tigers and our Nittany Lions. Auburn snuck by San Jose State with an 8-point win in Jordan-Hare Stadium last week. Penn State is the first Power 5 opponent to face the 2-0 Tigers this year and the Nittany Lions enter as a 3-point favorite on the road. I look forward to strong defensive play led by our secondary, a continuation of the flash of greatness shown by Nick Singleton last week, and consistent QB play from Sean Clifford.

Around CFB

The Luck of the Irish… ran out, again. The Thundering Herd of Marshall University overcame being a 20.5-point underdog on the road against Notre Dame, as they defeated the Irish by a score of 26-21 in South Bend. Marcus Freeman’s tenure at Notre Dame starts out 0-3, with a loss coming last year as he assumed duties prior to their loss in the Fiesta Bowl.

Notre Dame was not the only 20+ point favorite to lose last weekend. #6 Texas A&M, #19 Wisconsin, and Nebraska (sayonara coach Scott Frost) all fell to big underdogs. It was the first time in almost 5 decades that 4 teams of 20+ point underdogs defeated their favored opponents.

This statistic almost included a 5th team, as #1 Alabama (20-point favorite) narrowly held on to defeat Texas in Austin by a score of 20-19. I was unable to watch the game do it being scheduled at the same time as Penn State-Ohio, but from what I heard it was one heck of a game. Redshirt Freshman QB Quinn Ewers threw for the most yards in a 1st quarter against Alabama than any other opponent in Nick Saban’s time there. However, a pile drive into the ground late in the quarter caused Ewers to exit the game early due to a shoulder injury. This is a huge blow to the Longhorns, as tests revealed he would be forced to sit out the next 4-6 weeks for Texas. Alabama’s offensive line struggled to produce throughout the game, as defending Heisman winner Bryce Young faced pressure from start to finish. Alabama’s poor discipline almost cost them a victory, as the team racked up a collective 15 penalties for 100 yards. Alabama placekicker Will Reichard put the dagger in the victory with a game-winning 38 yard-FG with just over 10 seconds remaining in the game following a clutch scramble by Young.

#24 Tennessee knocked off #17 Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA by a score of 34-27 in OT. QB Kedon Slovis fell to injury and was absent for the 2nd half; his status is unclear for this weekend against Western Michigan.

#20 Kentucky and former Nittany Lion QB Will Levis knocked off #12 Florida behind a poor performance from Florida sophomore QB Anthony Richardson; he and the Gators could not mustard the magic they found against Utah the week before.

In other news; Holy Cross, a member of the FCS’s Patriot League, took down Buffalo of the MAC conference on an insane hail mary pass as time expired. I suggest you take a look at the clip of it below!

Week 3 AP Poll

What’s Ahead in Week 3?

#22 Penn State vs. Auburn – A little biased, but my personal game of the week.

#12 BYU vs. #25 Oregon – Can BYU carry the momentum after their big win over Baylor last week and overcome the unknowns behind the Ducks?

#13 Miami vs. #24 Texas A&M – How does Texas A&M recover following their upset against Appalachian State last week?

#1 Georgia vs. South Carolina – How does Georgia perform as the new #1 team in the country? I suspect nothing different than what we’ve seen from this team so far this season and in last year’s national championship season.

#7 USC vs. Fresno State – USC is good, really good. QB Caleb Williams and defending Biletnikoff Award winner (awarded to the best WR in college football) WR Jordan Addison looks unstoppable. Fresno State is a sneaky team that could possibly put up a fight against the Trojans, but look to see if USC is going to continue their exceptional level of football this season.

The air has just felt different the last week hasn’t it? College football returned, and with it my favorite time of the year. From West Lafayette on Thursday night to Atlanta on Monday night, college football fans had a treat this weekend. We got missed PAT’s to lose games, a “puke-six”, and some coaches stuck in an elevator. To characterize the opening weekend to the college football season as eventful would be an understatement, but let’s dive into it:

The PSU Review

Every week I will do a more extensive review/preview of our Nittany Lions. Going into West Lafayette in a nationally televised game on a Thursday night, our group faced an uphill battle from the start. Although Penn State came in as a -3.5 point favorite to win on Thursday, I think everyone knew that it wouldn’t be easy. And… it certainly could be classified as a sword fight.

As a Penn State fan, I came into last week a little skeptical. We have a new defensive coordinator in Manny Diaz, a 2nd year offensive coordinator in Mike Yurcich, and lost some hefty talent to the NFL Draft last spring. But, our recruiting class ranked among the top in the country and some key veterans returning to the roster should give the squad some more confidence.

Hunter’s Takeaways –

Offensively, we looked decent. Sean Clifford went for 5 total TD’s, 282 passing yards, and an interception (as I will talk about next, not just any interception). Clifford, as Clifford does, had his up’s and down’s. The ball didn’t look bad coming out of his hand, but the completion percentage too low for my liking throughout the game (he finished 20/37 for a 54% completion percentage). But, late in the 4th quarter on 1st and 10, Clifford sailed one a mile over wide-open transfer Mitchell Tinsley’s head for what we now know would be the “puke six” as the Purdue defender vomited on the sideline after his interception return. These types of throws can’t happen. Those throws will lose you ball games and almost did so for Penn State last week.

The last drive to seal the game = pure perfection. Slow and methodical, Clifford drove the ball down the field in a way we should have done it all game. Tinsley’s 27 yard catch defined that drive. Clifford very much redeemed himself on that drive, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that he must be more consistent if this team wants to go places this year. Freshman Drew Allar came into the game for a series and all I have to say is, the future of Penn State football looks bright. I hope to see a lot of him in blowout games throughout the season. I could 100% give an argument to why he should start, but I don’t see a world when Sean Clifford does not start due to frankly, experience.

Our wide receivers looked very good for the most part. Tinsley showed off his excitement factor and you can anticipate a huge role for him in this passing offense. KeAndre Lambert-Smith had a beautiful 29-yard TD reception where he took a big hit but stayed on his feet and showed his blazing speed. Many overlook the lack of attention to Parker Washington, but Clifford only had 20 completions on the game so his opportunities became limited. And how about tight end Brenton Strange! A huge 67-yard TD reception to end the 1st half made me lose my voice from yelling so loud. I didn’t think the big man had it in him!

The running game remained a struggle. We once again eluded from 100 yards rushing on the game (ended with 98 total). Freshman Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen looked good when they had the ball, but there’s not much to take away from their performances. The offensive line struggled on many of these runs to create good enough holes for our backs. Singleton and Allen have all the framework to be stars and I’ll be curious to monitor the progression of the running game throughout the season. To beat the best teams in the nation, you have to rush for more than 100 yards in a game. I don’t like the idea of giving 3 different running backs over 8 carries. In their own right, each running back carries with them extreme talent. But, it gives the running game no character when different running backs come out on the field every drive. Coach Franklin needs to find one main back to take the load of the carries and a strong backup that can supplement him. I personally really like the duo of Singleton and Allen, but Keyvone Lee definitely has a place in this offense as well. It’s a touchy subject now, but needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Joey. Porter. Jr. A man, or a machine? Although he didn’t have his best first quarter which included a dropped interception and a few times he got burnt, he looked like a 1st round NFL draft pick the rest of the game. He had 6 pass breakups according to Pro Football Focus, which would tie the record for most ever recorded in one game by PFF who started recording in 2014. Porter had a fumble recovery and 8 tackles on the game as well. He’s so much fun to watch. Other than Porter, allowing 356 yards passing was not ideal. Purdue runs a pass-heavy scheme so it some expected it, but far too many big passing gains or Purdue occurred than there should have. The secondary needs to lock up and ensure that they do not give up so many long gains. Another major defensive point I noticed: the lack of a pass rush. We didn’t get our first sack of the game until 14:14 left in the 4th quarter. PJ Mustipher and the boys up front need to put more pressure on the QB so he doesn’t have all day to get out those throws for significant gains.

The Wrap-Up

To have your backs up against the wall in a rowdy away stadium, under the lights, and in the first game of the season, the ability to come back and win that football game should not be understated. That should be a HUGE momentum push for the boys in blue-and-white. What they did on Thursday should motivate this group as it shows the amount of grit and perseverance in this team. The biggest takeaway from this week: a grit from this team we haven’t seen in several years.

This Saturday at noon on ABC, Beaver Stadium comes back to service as 100,000+ will pack Happy Valley for our first home game of the year against the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC. Penn State comes in a -25.5 point favorite. I’m personally looking to see a big day for the run game, shutdown defense, and hopefully a Drew Allar cameo in front of the home crowd at some point.

Around CFB

This part of the blog will highlight notable storylines the past weekend around college football and preview some of the big games for the next week.

No. 3 Georgia steamrolled No. 11 Oregon 49-3 in Dan Lanning’s debut at the Ducks coach. The Bulldogs’s dream of repeating this year increasingly flourished this weekend with the flawless performance. Can Stetson Bennett hang on to be a top Heisman candidate?

No. 2 Ohio State fended off No. 5 Notre Dame 24-10 at the Shoe. Despite having one of the most potent offenses in college football, Ohio State did not impress. The injury to star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba obviously didn’t help, but Heisman favorite QB CJ Stroud did not awe much in his absence. Notre Dame held on for most of the game despite a nonexistent offense. The Irish put up much more of a fight than I thought.

No. 1 Alabama did Alabama things, blanking Utah State 55-0.

Florida upset No. 7 Utah in Gainesville behind a stellar performance by sophomore QB Anthony Richardson. Looks like good times coming in the swamp under new head coach Billy Napier. Look out for how this team performs next week in a tough matchup against No. 20 Kentucky.

North Carolina defeated Appalachian State in a barnburner, winning 63-61. These two teams outscored the combined final score of when their basketball teams played last winter! UNC QB Drake Maye looks like a sensational replacement to outgoing NFL QB Sam Howell. Both defensive coordinators might have to go back to the drawing board…

No. 14 USC looked exceptional in the debut of Oklahoma transfer QB Caleb Williams and his coach in Norman, Lincoln Riley. Defending Biletnikoff Award (Best WR in College Football) winner Jordan Addison caught a TD in his debut with his new team. Expect a resurgence of a new look USC team this season. But, the question is, how far can they go? Either way, good times in LA right now.

LSU lost in heartbreaking fashion in Brian Kelly’s debut on Sunday night. A blocked PAT at the end of regulation caused Florida State to capture the victory in the Superdome.

No. 4 Clemson capped the first week of college football off on Monday night with a 41-10 victory over Georgia Tech. For three quarters, this team did not look at all like No. 4 in the nation. They pulled away in the 4th quarter, but 5-star freshman QB Cade Klubnik put together a TD drive at the end of the game that should just prove to the world he should be starting over sophomore DJ Uiagalelei who continues to suffer from inconsistency.

Week 2 AP Poll

What Should I Look Forward in Week 2?

No. 1 Alabama vs. Texas – Expect a big Crimson Tide victory here. I’m not a Texas hater, but I don’t see how the Longhorns will keep up.

No. 20 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Florida – My personal favorite game of the week. How legit can Florida be? This will be a defining game in the season for both teams.

No. 24 Tennessee vs. No. 17 Pitt – Can Pitt top the Volunteers again this year?

No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 21 BYU – BYU favored by 3 points. How does Baylor respond?

A lot of consideration went into this brainstorm but I believe I found two viable options for my passion blog. First, I’ve always been a huge fan of community. Especially now as a Penn State student, I feel engraved in a community bigger than myself. In my short time as a student here so far, I feel a strong sense of connection with everything that is happening on campus. Whether that be athletic events, club news, community gatherings, or anything in between, I think it is valuable for members of a community to learn more about what is happening around them. A possibility for this blog idea could be to highlight notable events from the week on campus, such as important athletics news, notable speakers, or gatherings around campus that more students can learn about. Not only do I think this idea could benefit me in being more knowledgeable about campus activities, but it could possibly get my peers reading my blog to engage with some of these activities and feel in themselves a greater sense of community.

Every year the fall rolls around, every one that knows me knows that it’s the season. What season may you ask? The college football season. Nothing gets me more excited than the brisk air on a cool Saturday morning and immediately turning on College Gameday at 9 AM sharp. I don’t just watch college football, I love to analyze it and make predictions that are more often than not… wrong. But hey, every blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. In all seriousness, college football is a very difficult sport to get a grip about. Teams can be like Michigan State, who went from being 2-5 in the COVID-shortened season in 2020 to 11-2 in a full season last year. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, our beloved Nittany Lions who turned an 11-2 Cotton Bowl winning season into… an 0-5 start in 2020. No matter which team, it is interesting to see how the storylines unfold throughout the season and keeping up with its overall dynamic. Thus, I believe highlighting notable college football storylines on a week-to-week basis is an enticing option for my passion blog.