Penn State's Critical Playoff Push: Expectations & Challenges

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00:00Mentioning Penn State and look, I've given them a bit of a hard time here and there.

00:07Maybe I'm just doing it to root against our dear friend Dave Sharapan, but regardless

00:10of 44 to 7 victory for the Nittany Lions today.

00:14More importantly, them able to, I don't know, finally cover a spread for the most part.

00:18Last week, they had this 11 and a half spread go up against Minnesota, only get past them

00:22by 1.26 to 25.

00:24Rich, I got to ask, what did you make of their performance today and what does it say about

00:28what to expect potentially in the postseason?

00:30Because they've been so strong, they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball,

00:34but they have relied on their defense to get them through a number of games.

00:38Yeah, that's a perfect presentation, Casey.

00:41I couldn't agree more.

00:42I think they have one of the better rosters in the country, outside of maybe Georgia and

00:49Ohio State.

00:50But I think in terms of pure talent, next level, blue chip, four and five star players,

00:56they're littered with those kinds of guys on both sides of the ball.

01:00So I agree with you.

01:02This is more, this postseason beginning next Saturday, I think that's a fascinating game

01:06against Oregon with a lot at stake.

01:09Both will be in the playoffs, but that buy is going to be critical to both programs.

01:13I think this next month, month and a half is a referendum on James Franklin.

01:18I hate to be so specific, but he needs to start winning big football games.

01:25He needs to start taking down elite programs, and he's going to have an opportunity on December,

01:33whatever next Saturday, it's December the 6th, I think it is, yeah, 6th, 7th for the

01:39next Saturday.

01:40And then also whenever the playoffs begin for them, whether that's a buy later in December

01:45or December 20th.

01:46So talent is not the issue.

01:50Resources are not the issue.

01:51James Franklin's got to start winning big football games.

01:54And a chance to win the Big Ten title is a massive one for both he and the Lions.