The Penn State Football Show

The preseason is over, and the Lions are staring a five-game stretch including three matchups (@MICH, OSU, @MSU) that will determine the fate of their season. Quick side note - what an over used cliche, "determine the fate of their season" is...thank you captain obvious, because we failed to realize that if we lose 3 of our next 5, the season was a disappointment.

Eastern Illinois was essentially a multi million-dollar bye-week, and although there is much controversy surrounding the decision to play FCS opponents, I will refrain from wasting our readers' (if any) time and keystrokes arguing the matter.

PSU fans got what they wanted out of the Minnesota game. Dominance on the defensive side of the ball, signs of consistency and play making abilities on the offense (Derek Moye), and a shut-out win with no major injuries (sans SG21's "Chronic Ankle Injury", but I'm on the Beachum-waggon as of late).

Now on to Michigan and the "Big House". We all know of PSU's recent struggles on the road, not to mention in Ann Arbor. Call me crazy, but I have a hard time year-in and year-out buying into the whole hoopla of "Penn State can't win in the Big House". I look at it from a different perspective. Simply put, the Lions have simply lost a series of close games. Do you think DeVon Smith and Chaz Powell give two-licks about what happened in 2005? Most likely not, this is 2009, and they have a chance to show the nation they are capable of winning on the road in a nationally televised game.

Did anyone forget the media hype prior to last year's trip to Columbus. "PSU hasn't won in the horseshoe since Tebow parted the Red Sea". Check that one off the list, Penn State may have played conservatively, but in the end, they came out with the W.

What am I getting at? Not really sure, I didn't map this post out entirely before I started typing. I think the fact of the matter is this, the Lions SHOULD win this game, and if they don't, it's most likely going to be because they beat themselves with mistakes like turnovers and penalties.

Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson are clearly capable of moving the ball and putting up points, but let's not lose sight of the sound defense PSU has played thus far and the possible addition of Sean Lee this weekend (although I'm not so sure he is still going to be effective).

Once again, PSU is in somewhat of a lose-lose situation. They lose this game, and the media will continue to beat them into the ground and their inability to perform in the Big House. They win this game, and Michigan could very easily get off playing the "young" and "inexperienced" card. Either way, it should be an exciting game.

Outside the lines:

• Gotta love JoePa's slam on the Big House during his weekly press conference, adding "I don't think its a rather difficult place to play".
• Correction - Somehow I missed Purdue's natural grass playing surface when discussing BigTen teams using FieldTurf.
• Beaver Stadium announced an attendance of 107,800 during the Minnesota snowball fest. Not only was this false, it was comical.
• Can't agree more with Drew's comment on the Nittany Lion's "Thriller Dance". The only thing worse would be to replace the 80's cladded background dancers with members of the '86 National Championship team. Isn't it about time they get their annual half-time honoring, anyway?
• Replays! Beaver Stadium game day coordinators came to play last weekend, showing a number of controversial replays including the DM6 touchdown catch that was eventually turned-over. Glad to see Guido is reading the blog.

The Lions face a stiff test this weekend on the road, but it is their game to lose. DC17 is surrounded by play makers. Coaching will be key. Will PSU buck the conservative trend and spread the ball around? Or will they place a death-grip on a 3rd-quarter lead similar to Ohio State last year?

In the end, the team that scores more points will win this one, and the outcome will play a large part in determining the fate of the Lions' season. Duh.