We are now in the homestretch of the college football season. Seasons are being defined, players are rising to the occasion, and fans are getting anxious to see how their team finishes off the season like never before. Let’s dive into what Week 8 in this college football season had in store for us.
The PSU Review
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What a beautiful sight, isn’t it? The White Out returned to Happy Valley this weekend in front of a thundering Beaver Stadium crowd. Following the horrific loss to Michigan the week prior, there was nothing better for the Nittany Lions this weekend than returning to this environment. Fans, and more importantly the players, seemed to completely forget what happened in Ann Arbor the week before. That is exactly what this team needed as they reach the most crucial portion of their schedule.
Hunter’s Takeaways:
The 12th man on the field was a major factor in this team’s performance this week. The fans were electric and I’m not sure that Minnesota freshman QB Athan Kaliakmanis could ever say something that anyone on the offense could hear. A multitude of false start penalties by the Golden Gophers were abundant early in the game, just proving how difficult it is to play as a road team in a Penn State White Out.
This was undoubtedly Penn State’s best game of the year to this point. The Nittany Lions fired on all cylinders and never looked back. Other than a slow start in the first quarter, this team dominated Minnesota on Saturday. Sean Clifford won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. Despite a poor interception and a few other throws that should have been picks, this was one of Clifford’s best performances at Penn State. The Minnesota defense ranked in the top-15 in the country coming into the game, but the Penn State offense was able to expose their loopholes consistently throughout the game. Beautiful play by Penn State WR’s and TE’s like Parker Washington who made a sensational grab in the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown. Mitchell Tinsley who pulled in a one-handed grab on a free play along the sideline. Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren who both reached the end zone. Clifford ran an extremely efficient offense once they started to get going in the second quarter. Every drive seemed to be producing points, especially in the second half. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen complemented each other perfectly, with the former scoring 2 TD’s and both almost matching one another in rushing yards.
The real MVP of this weekend was an exceptional performance by Manny Diaz’s defense. One of the top running backs in the country, Minnesota senior RB Mohamed Ibrahim, was largely shutdown on Saturday. Ibrahim extended his consecutive 100-yard performance streak to 13 games, but it took him 30 carries against Penn State to muster 102 yards. Holding him 3.4 yards per carry was exactly what this defense had to do following an historically bad defense against the run against Michigan the week before. Kaliakmanis’s first start following the injury to senior QB Tanner Morgan did not go as planned, completing only 9 of 22 passes. Every individual on the defense played exceptional on Saturday and are a major factor in why this Penn State team pulled out its best performance of the season.
A Wild Whiteout Win!
The next attraction coming to Happy Valley… the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Stripe Out game. This Buckeye offense average nearly 50 points per game and is one of the most loaded rosters of talent in college football. This team has barely blinked an eye all season and will be the ultimate test for the Nittany Lions. This team came out with a fight last week that we all needed to see. Happy Valley will be thundering once again Saturday. Ohio State opens as a -15.5 favorite on FOX’s Big Noon Saturday.
Around CFB
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#10 Oregon handled #9 UCLA in Eugene. Oregon QB Bo Nix performed stellar with a 5-TD performance. Oregon looks to be the new strongest team in the PAC-12 with their only hiccup being the disastrous 55-3 loss against Georgia in Week 1.
#5 Clemson overcame a grueling test at home by the hands of #14 Syracuse. Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei was benched in favor of 5-star freshman QB Cade Klubnik. It will be interesting to monitor how this potential quarterback battle plays out for a top-5 team in the nation.
#8 TCU continued their perfect season with a defeat of #17 Kansas State. TCU QB Max Duggan has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country to this point and has put this team in prime position to win the Big 12.
#11 Oklahoma State upset a 7-point favorite in #20 Texas at home in Stillwater. The Cowboys proved why they shouldn’t have been home underdogs against an inconsistent Longhorn team, with senior QB Spencer Sanders throwing for 391 yards and 2 TD’s in the victory.
LSU rolled over #7 Ole Miss in Death Valley. A 45-20 win for the Tigers is Brian Kelly’s marquee victory since he took the reigns at LSU. LSU QB Jayden Daniels performed exceptionally with his arm and his feet, logging 121 yards and 3 TD’s on the ground. Look for a resurgence of this LSU team behind strong QB play from Daniels.
Week 9 AP Top 25 Poll
What’s Ahead in Week 9?
Hunter’s Game of the Week: #13 Penn State vs. #2 Ohio State (-15.5) – The undoubtable best game of the weekend, the Stripe Out crowd will be electric in Happy Valley. Coming off their best performance of the season, how do the Nittany Lions rekindle that energy to unleash upon one of the perennial best teams in the nation? Hopefully some of that 2016 magic finds its way back in Beaver Stadium.
#3 Tennessee (-12.5) vs. #19 Kentucky – The ‘ol Border Battle returns this year while both teams are ranked in the AP Poll. Tennessee has proven each week why they should be in the CFP and Hendon Hooker is making his strongest efforts challenge to C.J. Stroud for the Heisman trophy. Let’s see how Kentucky responds to the adversity at home led by former Penn State backup and future NFL Draftee QB Will Levis.
#9 Oklahoma State vs. #22 Kansas State (-1.5) – Both teams are some of the best of what the Big 12 has to offer. Kansas State has had a strong season led by Nebraska transfer QB Adrian Martinez. See how OK State responds as an underdog on the road in Manhattan, KS.
Florida vs. #1 Georgia (-22.5) – Georgia-Florida is a spectacle any given year, even when the one team is ranked #1 in the country and a 3-TD favorite to win. See how strong this Georgia team can perform against a decent opponent at a neutral site in Jacksonville.
#7 TCU (-7.5) vs. West Virginia – West Virginia has to be one of the best teams in the country with a losing record. Always playing opponents tough, this will be the ultimate challenge against the strongest team in the Big 12 to this point. How do the Horned Frogs perform on the road and can they prove they are a legit CFP contender?
Another stellar review, Hunter! The White Out was definitely an insane game to experience, and I think you did a great job pointing out all the successes of PSU while still providing constructive criticism. I look forward to your Ohio State, Stripe Out review!
Hey Hunter! I always enjoy reading your football reviews. Your inclusion of criticism shows how passionate you are about football and how much you want for PSU to pull through and fulfill their true potential.
Hunter, this was an excellent review. I thought your flair was great, but your analysis was even better. Honestly, I don’t think TCU deserves the hype, but that’s just me. Overall, great review.