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Go Hoosiers! Beat Penn State!

+12 HS
buckeye phi's picture
November 6, 2016 at 8:33pm
79 Comments

In the course of a recent back-and forth in the comments section of the current 11W poll question: Will the Buckeyes Make the Playoff? -  another, related question came to mind.  

It became clear to me many of my 11W brethren are operating under the assumption Penn State will win out - paving the way for a three-way tie for the lead in the B1G East when Ohio State beats a previously undefeated Michigan team.  I found that odd because I've been operating under the assumption PSU's Head Coach, James Franklin, will surely find a way to lose another game this season. 

I've just witnessed too many instances of sloppy coaching on his part to think Franklin has suddenly risen to the elite level - in spite of PSU's recent success.  He has some decent assistants this year - but I have confidence he'll find a way to botch a critical situation all by his lonesome.

That prompted me to look at the remainder of Penn State's schedule and predict when that inevitable coaching blunder - and defeat - may come.  Well, I didn't have to look far. 

The Nittany Lions travel to Bloomington, Indiana this Saturday.  As Ohio State fans know all too well, the Hoosiers are potentially a very dangerous opponent.  That may be particularly true for a program that is not used to winning at this rate - and that may be a little in love with themselves as they continue to rocket up through the polls. 

Remember - in their "signature victory", they were significantly out-gained by the Buckeyes.  It was a particularly fluky win - a perfect storm of errors on Ohio State's part.  And the second of two consecutive prime time away games for the Bucks.  I imagine Franklin has allowed his team to overlook that little factoid - if he hasn't, indeed, done so himself. 

That's not to say Penn State didn't play the Buckeyes tough in that game.  They did.  But even playing out of their minds - and way over their heads - in a white-out at night - they really should have lost the game.  Ohio State handed it to them. 

The point is - in my view, "they are ... Penn State", as they like to say.  They're destined to return to that level.  Or, at least, closer to the Penn State they've been under Franklin.  Did I mention I'm not sold on Franklin? 

Unfortunately, if they survive at Indiana - they could be looking at a rather easy way to go over their remaining two games.  They travel to Rutgers the following week - and get the surprisingly bad Michigan State Spartans at home the week after that. 

So I'm going to be rooting hard for the Hoosiers Saturday.  That is far less distasteful to me than the prospect of rooting for Michigan to remain undefeated until they lose to Ohio State in The Game -

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