Dispensing Thoughts and Opinions: PSU-Michigan

FTB’s Rapid Reaction/Stream of Consciousness Following Penn State’s First Win in The Big House Since 2009.

• Permit us one snarky comment before shelving the cynicism and giving Penn State credit…Thank God Google AdSense is paying us fractions of a penny to watch these two teams play, because no one should be subjected to that display of timid, conservative football for free…OK, now that that’s out of our system, let’s get on with it.

• Winning is the ultimate deodorant. And winning against THAT team and THOSE uniforms – as grind-it-out, leather-helmet as it was – smells super freaking sweet. Yeah, Michigan might be a mess, and a lot of their 2020 issues (opt outs, stacks of injuries) mirror ours, but it’s still a win against an iconic program in an iconic, library-loud setting. So don’t discount the W. Even with all the Wolverines’ attrition, that’s still the second-best collection of roster talent Penn State faced this season.

• So, Penn State has to runback Friday night isolation and virtual meetings next week in New Jersey, right? Can’t mess with a streak. Social distancing Heat Check! 

• If we had more personal ambition, we’d start up the ‘Beamin’ for Beamon’ fan club. But we don’t, so we won’t. Still, Hakeem Beamon’s emergence at defensive tackle gives us a glimmer of hope for the future. We glowed about the redshirt freshman’s play vs. Iowa, and after watching him blow up Michigan’s first drive, we’re sure we’ll throw more superlatives his way this week.

• Not Jordan Stout’s greatest day…although kicking from left-to-right on the TV looked like kicking into a wind tunnel. Still, the field is 50-yards-plus wide so unless it’s Cat 5 conditions put it in play.

• Penn State NEEDS to accept a bowl invitation if offered, this year. Rules permit sub-.500 teams to play a postseason game. I don’t care if it’s played in a snow-covered parking lot in Walla Walla and the player swag bags are filled with off-brand deli meats, take the game! With rising COVID numbers, 2021 Spring Practice isn’t promised, and if it does happen, it’ll likely be funky and disjointed. So keep the team together, get some more practices in, and #BEATSANJOSESTATE.

• Can’t spike the ball and waste a down with more than 30 seconds left in the first half. CALL A PLAY, KIRK! Less than 15 seconds left, OK, spike it. After two (not three) low-percentage throws, Penn State kicked a field goal from the 5 with 17 seconds and an unused timeout in its pocket. Frustrating.

• From The Athletic’s Jason Starrett: This is the first time in 1,350 games of Michigan Football that the Wolverines lost to an opponent with an 0-5 or worse record. HA! (Clarification: that was our HA, not Jason’s HA)

• TV broadcasts featuring announcers calling the action from their basements are ATROCIOUS! Sooooo many incorrect player ID’s, delayed reactions to big plays, and speaking over one another. If any network wants to get cheap next year and try this again, spotters and production crew should shove this game tape in those suits’ faces.

• Expected to see Penn State take more deep shots against Don Brown’s defense, but honestly, it looked like Michigan’s secondary (sans 5-star Dax Hill who blanketed Penn State’s slot receivers all game) gave a lot more cushion than usual and basically waited for Sean Clifford to screw up…which he didn’t.

• Kudos to Keyvone Lee for eclipsing the 100-yard mark. But, man, it was bittersweet…to us, anyway. Every time Lee broke a tackle and/or turned the corner, we couldn’t help but imagine the monster day Journey Brown would have posted against these declawed Michigan tacklers.

• That batting rule is dumb. Glad it didn’t bite us in the backside.