Sorting through the blue and white mailbag while hoping you’ll make a contribution this season:
Neil:
I’ll chock the Bowling Green game up to a letdown or overconfidence after the big West Virginia win.
However; they say you make your best improvements between games one and two.
James Franklin and the Nittany Lions might want to take another look at that philosophy. Play with that effort once Big Ten action starts, and they may have different results.
John Shearer Renovo
John:
“They” didn’t say you make your best improvements between games one and two. Joe said it.
Neil:
The list of non-conference opponents in last week’s column jarred a memory from my youth, when Dear Old State first put Paterno’s alma mater, Brown, on the slate.
Fearless Fremish, in the old Pennsylvania Mirror, offered a hilarious list of suggested schedule fillers, including the school I attended at the time — Park Forest Junior High.
Coach Elite probably shouldn’t be asking for more Bowling Greens after the Falcons forget their role as a pay-to-slay victim. But he should be able to handle Park Forest.
Jeff Fishbein Selinsgrove
Jeff:
Since that column, Penn State has added UMass.
Buffalo — the Bulls, not the Bills — defeated UMass on Satur-
PENN STATE MAILBAG GAME FACTS
Rudel vs. the oddsmakers
Line: Penn State is a 48.5-point favorite.
Inside the line: It’s believed to be the biggest-ever line of a PSU game … Kent State is 1-9 vs. spot in its last 10 games
… Flashes were getting 49.5 last week at Tennessee and lost 71-0 … Kent went 1-11 last year and 5-7 in 2022 … Flashes are 0-3 straight up and 0-3 vs. number this season … Over-under is 54.5 … PSU is 5-0 vs. Kent State but just 3-2 vs. spot
Kent’s last seven. (Source: Odds Shark).
Prediction: Penn State 59, Kent State 3
Prediction record: 2-0
PSU vs. line: 1-1
Prediction record vs. line: 0-2
day, 34-3.
Let me check Park Forest’s 2026 schedule.
The Pennsylvania Mirror was outstanding, and no sports staff had more fun than those guys.
CC: Terry Nau, Dave Bloss, Dennis Gildea, T. Wes Brillik
Neil:
Bowling Green also had the same noon kickoff time. If they were ready, there’s no excuse for Penn State not being ready.
The “noon kickoff” thing never resonated with me. I noticed that a number of ESPN’s CFP panel dumped Penn State from the top 12 after this debacle. Maybe it will benefit the Lions in the long term if they rearrange their mindset and realize they didn’t deserve their lofty spot.
I never thought they were No. 8 anyway.
Rick Weber Fort Myers, Fla.
Rick:
I do think the noon kickoff benefits the visiting team as home crowds don’t have quite the same juice as they do at 3:30 or at night (although night games brings too much juice.)
Neil:
Is Bowling Green really that much better than West Virginia? No.
In my opinion, last Saturday’s game was a perfect example of a team coming in with a plan and prepared to execute it and the opposing team (PSU) unprepared, at least on defense, for what was coming.
Put the majority of the blame on the coaches for not preparing their team. You would have thought Bowling Green’s opening drive would have been a wake-up call, but momentum has a way of inflating one side while deflating the other.
Give credit to the PSU fans. By the end of the first half there were scattered boos throughout the stadium. But after the half we fans created a whiteout atmosphere that not only showed our support for the team but also to let them know that losing to Bowling Green is not acceptable.
John Pifer
Middlebury Center
Mississippi State — looks pretty good.
Hey, Neil: A win is a win. However: I’ll bet there are a few future opponents who will be paying close attention to the Bowling Green game video.
Will Walk Spring, Texas
(The writer is a Tyrone native).
Hey, Will:
I could see Bowling Green’s QB Connor Bazelak on an NFL roster next year.
Dear Neil:
I would like to suggest when a quarterback chucks the ball deep, giving his receiver a chance to make a play on the ball, that this becomes known as a “Giger,” especially in our region.
It would go something like this... “Facing a 2nd-and-10 with 32 seconds left in the half, Allar was able to connect with Omari Evans on a 55-yard Giger.”
You don’t need to be from Mars or speak Japanese to understand that taking shots downfield with Gigers from time to time does have value.
Mike Sinisi Hollidaysburg
KENT STATE (0-3) AT PENN STATE (2-0)
KICKOFF: 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Beaver Stadium, University Park
RANKINGS: Penn State fell to 10th in this week’s AP Top 25 but remains at 8th in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Golden Flashes are not ranked.
COACHES: James Franklin is 90-39 in his 11th season leading Penn State. Kenni Burns is 1-14 in his second season at Kent State.
SERIES HISTORY:
Penn State leads the all-time series with Kent State, 6-0.
feated the Golden Flashes, 63-10, at Beaver Stadium in 2018. (Source: Winsipedia) TV:
John:
The top of the MAC — Bowling Green and Toledo, which won at
Mike:
Cory will love this.
And, for the record, it was CJF — not Cory — who used the word “chuck.”
Neil Rudel will respond to brief questions and comments in Gameday. You can email him at nrudel@altoonamirror.com and follow him on Twitter/X @neilrudel.
RADIO: Steve Jones and Jack Ham handle call, beginning at 2 p.m. The game is carried locally on WRKY-FM (104.9), WBUS-FM (99.5), WLUI-AM (670), WLUI-FM (92.9), WZBF-FM (106.1), WDBF-FM (106.3), WKSB-FM (102.7), STAR-FM (100.9), and WAYC-AM (1600). The game can also be streamed free on The app.
Neil Rudel
MIRROR GAME BREAKDOWN
Chris Masse analyzes the matchups vs. Kent State
PENN STATE Kent State
per carry. Nick Singleton seems to have regained his freshman form and has ripped off multiple big runs in both games. The only disappointing aspect was the offense’s ability to put Bowling Green away earlier once the defense settled in. And Drew Allar’s interception can’t happen in big games later this year.
did score 24 points in three quarters against Pittsburgh. Luke Floriea all afternoon.
Time will tell if Bowling Green was the exception or the norm. Here’s thinking it was the former and more a combination of Bowling Green being a MAC title contender and Penn State overlooking it. The thing is, Saturday’s game likely will not reveal much since it should be a walkover. Two sacks, though, is mighty weak.
but it makes up for it by not playing defense. Kent State allows equally as bad against the run (284.7 yards per game) as they are against the pass (282.7). This includes giving up 402 yards to Saint Francis in a 23-17 loss.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sander Sahaydak missed a 47-yarder in the opener but delivered the Falcons just one kick return, both encouraging signs. Punter yards per kick, he also has placed three of his eight inside the 20. Return game could use a boost.
the last two games. He is consistent but nothing amazing, averaging see. Kicker Andrew Glass is off to a shaky start, making two of his 10 kickoffs.
COACHING/INTANGIBLES
Give Tom Allen credit for adjusting and getting his defense to play Franklin has had two weeks to get ready for Kent State, so anything less than an absolute rout today would be pretty disappointing.
Kenni Burns has had a rough go of it in his two years at Kent State. He is 1-14 thus far and his team has lost 12 straight games. Even worse, only the Saint Francis game has been a single-digit contest during that stretch. Burns has Big Ten ties, having been an assistant head coach and running backs coach at Minnesota from 2019-22.
Prediction: Remember when PSU beat Cincinnati 81-0 in 1991? If they want to, the Lions could beat that margin of victory Saturday. PSU 63, Kent State 0
Brian Carson County Observer Editor
Penn State 54, Kent State 7
The Golden Flashes could be the worst team in college football. Kent State is 0-3 on the season and have been outscored 149-41, including 71-0 last week against Tennessee. Easy victory for the Nittany Lions. Look for the Penn State backups to play early in this one.
SENTINEL STAFF PREDICTIONS
Greg Williams Sentinel Reporter
Penn State 46, Kent State 19
Kent State is 0-3 to start the season, including a 71-0 week two loss to No. 6 Tennessee. Penn State is coming off a bye week, and it could seem like two in a row as the Nittany Lions are 50-point favorites.
Kenny Varner Sentinel Correspondent
Penn State 54, Kent State 10
After a bye week off from its close call against Bowling, the Nittany Lions will come out and show that their
The Nittany Lions will come in focused and ready to redeem themselves in front of the home crowd.
Chris Masse is a sports writer for the Williamsport Sun Gazette, a sister paper of the Mirror and part of Ogden Newspapers.
Drilling down on PSU’s television numbers
Nobody watched Penn State football on TV last week (because the team was off) and not many may watch this week, either.
The Nittany Lions’ scheduled dominance of winless Kent State kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and will air on Big Ten Network. Kent State has earned its 0-3 mark with losses to Pitt (55-24), Saint Francis (23-17) and Tennessee (71-0).
This outcome of this week’s game will never be in doubt, and it might not be fun to watch in person or on TV. So, it will be no surprise if the game attracts so-so viewership — as was the case for ethe game against Bowling Green a couple weeks ago (about 900,000 viewers).
Sure, neither Bowling Green nor Kent State prompts the kind of intrigue that prompts must-see viewing. So, there’s a reason not as many people watched those games as will tune in for Ohio State and USC later this season.
Still, Penn State — even with its history, Big Ten Conference connection, East Coast location and, as you may have heard, the largest dues-paying alumni association in higher education — remains a little less than a TV powerhouse.
Oh, people watch Penn State on TV but not in the same way they watch Alabama, Ohio State and several others that rank ahead of Penn State in combined TV viewership.
Here’s the Top 25 of college football TV viewership for last season, thanks to Kevin Spain of Sportsnaut.
The number after the team’s
Steve Sampsell
name is the average number of viewers (in millions) for the team’s games. The number in parenthesis after that is the number of the team’s games that were Nielsen rated.
Those with lower numbers played a few less games that aired on major networks or cable channels.
1. Alabama 7.12 (11)
2. Ohio State 6.05 (11)
3. Colorado 6.00 (9)
4. Georgia 5.90 (11)
5. Michigan 5.61 (12)
6. Tennessee 4.57 (7)
7. Oregon 4.43 (10)
8. Texas 4.26 (12)
9. Florida State 4.16 (12)
10. Notre Dame 4.15 (10)
11. Washington 4.14 (10)
12. LSU 3.79 (9)
13. USC 3.77 (9)
14. Penn State 3.66 (11)
15. Auburn 3.55 (7)
16. Missouri 3.25 (6)
17. Florida 3.17 (8)
18. Ole Miss 2.93 (7)
19. Clemson 2.90 (7)
20. Texas A&M 2.74 (9)
21. Iowa 2.68 (11)
22. Miami 2.65(6)
23. Duke 2.639 (6)
24. Nebraska 2.637 (11)
25. Utah 2.616 (7)
Yes, viewership offers a measure of interest in both teams involved in a game, and viewership gets impacted by other games airing at the same time your team is playing, as well as the time of day for the game. So, there are a lot of variables.
Still, simply put, Penn State itself is not the draw. It needs a
TV/RADIO COMMENTARY
Worth watching
Illinois at Nebraska 8 p.m. Friday Fox USC at Michigan 3:30 p.m. Saturday CBS
Northwestern at Washington 7 p.m. Saturday FS1 Tennessee at Oklahoma 7:30 p.m. Saturday ABC
big-name or interesting opponent to really attract viewers — and even then, it might not make a huge difference.
Already this year, Ohio State dominated Akron and 2.97 million people watched on Aug. 31. That was the same day Penn State and West Virginia attracted 2.99 million viewers — and that game appeared on Fox, for Big Noon Kickoff, which should have meant better visibility. Even with a much better opponent and a better timeslot, Penn State barely outdrew OSU.
That’s not a bad thing, not a knock against Penn State. It’s just the truth.
For whatever reason, for many reasons probably, the program is interesting to TV viewers, but not a dominant attraction.
It has a rich history, and a rich history on TV (thanks to Penn State and Miami in 1987 TV networks affirmed the power of college football before and during the Fiesta Bowl when more than 25 million people watched, and when NBC launched Big Ten Saturday Night last season it did so at Beaver Stadium, as 3.5 million people watched) — but it’s not always must-see TV.
Praising Pat
It’s Pat McAfee’s world and we’re just living in it, and that seems especially true regarding college football.
McAfee, the former WVU and Indianapolis Colts punter who has become a media powerhouse after his YouTube show grew and he then leveraged that success into even more opportunity and visibility with ESPN, has become the energetic focal point of College GameDay.
If you think he’s a clown, you think that’s a bad thing.
If you think he’s genuine, you’re probably OK with the change.
No matter your perspective, it generally leads to good TV. He’s first and foremost an entertainer, and he knows that. He’s in his natural element playing to a crowd and he’s able to connect with seemingly more buttoned-down types on set like Kirk Herbstreit and coach-turned-analyst Nick Saban.
More than that, you know McAfee has earned a primary role through little things, like the fact he was the one on set last week that acknowledged ESPN’s dispute with DirecTV had ended.
The dispute had lasted about two weeks before they announced an agreement.
So, he handles everything from a charity field goal attempt each week to the real news. Anybody could do all that, but not everybody gets the chance. McAfee does.
Notable
ö While the weekly Penn State Football Story no longer exists, a casualty, in part, of Penn State changing the company that handles its multimedia rights, a couple of shows that air on local television to do remain. That includes Nittany Game Week, now in its third season, and The NitWits, now in its 27th season. For the most part, Penn State has moved to online/streaming content, as well as social media, as the way to tell its story.
ö ESPN’s commitment to the Southeastern Conference includes a graphic treatment for that conference’s games that’s distinct from any others that air on ESPN or its channels. It’s a nice move, a differentiation that certainly matters to folks in the SEC.
ö College football coaches are always an on-camera favorite during their team’s games, but Brian Kelly at LSU and Deion Sanders at Colorado might get more airtime than any of their colleagues.
Sampsell covers the broadcast end of Penn State football for Gameday. He can be reached at stevesampsell@ gmail.com
Don’t look now, but here are some surprising 3-0s
With the benefit of soft scheduling, it is not uncommon for a multitude of teams to start the season with three straight wins, but several 3-0 teams have appeared on the national radar as unexpected success stories.
Among Cal’s three wins are victories over Auburn and San Diego State.
With a victory over winless Florida State on Saturday in their first ACC game, the Bears would move to 4-0 for the first time since 2019.
Illinois and Nebraska — both 3-0, nationally ranked in the AP Top 25 and rebounding from 5-7 campaigns — meet tonight in a game that could herald a significant change of fortune for one or both teams.
Illinois has already beaten one nationally ranked team (then-No. 19 Kansas) and Nebraska’s average margin of victory through three games is 27 points.
By defeating Florida State last Saturday, Memphis (3-0) recorded its first win over a Power Conference opponent on the road since 2015.
With its 42-13 battering of UCLA, Indiana (3-0) registered its largest margin of victory in a Big Ten road game since a 63-32 win at Wisconsin in 2001.
ND still smarting
It has been two weeks since Notre Dame was beaten by Northern Illinois, but the result is no less bewildering today.
The shock value of the 16-14 final score was compounded by the fact that the Fighting Irish, ranked No. 5 at the time, were only able to score 14 points at home against a team from a conference — the Mid-American — which had never recorded a win over a Top Five opponent.
Considering the imbalance of resources that exists between the major powers and all the rest of FBS, how do losses like that happen?
Home-field advantage is usually worth three points and the intimidating mystique that surrounds the Irish program should be worth at least another seven points.
Northern Illinois proved that hype, rankings and tradition are worthless after the opening kickoff.
When it comes to protecting one’s own turf, Georgia owns the nation’s longest active home winning streak at 26 games. Michigan was maintaining the second-longest streak at 23 games until Texas dominated the Wolverines at The Big House two weeks ago.
Washington’s string of 16 straight home wins now ranks second.
Allow an underdog to hang around through three quarters and the words Upset Alert will soon start scrolling across the
NATIONAL VIEW
bottom of television screens.
In the final analysis, it really doesn’t matter how Northern Illinois managed to pull off the upset at South Bend.
With all the advantages that Notre Dame possesses, the focus should be on why the Irish were incapable of preventing it from happening.
Rebels runnin’ hot
UNLV is 3-0 for the first time in 40 years after besting Kansas, 23-20. The winning touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter covered 75 yards in 18 plays and consumed 9:22. Two of UNLV’s wins are over Big 12 teams. The Rebels defeated Houston in the season opener.
Apple of Washington’s eye
In the first non-conference meeting between the two teams in 63 years, Washington State (3-0) used a goal-line stand in the final two minutes to defeat rival Washington, 24-19. With only its third win over the Huskies since 2008, Washington State claimed the Apple Cup.
“I think we might retire this trophy,” said Washington State head coach Jake Dickert. “I think it’s a Pac-12 trophy. I think that might stay in our place a long time, and we’ll bring a new one next year.”
Hoist for all to see
In a “Fly the Flag” triumph for the Mid-American Conference, Toledo dominated Mississippi State, 41-17, last Saturday to improve to 3-0.
Since 2018, MAC teams have prominently displayed a MACthemed Jolly Roger flag after wins over opponents from Power Conferences.
Northern Illinois also broke out the flag for a team photo on the field after its upset at Notre Dame Stadium.
The flags were the inspiration of MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, who announced the distribution of the flags to member schools by pronouncing, “The Mid-American Conference and its members are the pirates of the FBS. Our ships, our stadiums are not always the largest, but we are manned by highly-motivated troops. Our players and coaches carry a chip on their shoulders to demonstrate an anywhere, anytime attitude. If respect is not freely given, we will earn it and we will take it.”
Toledo’s last win over a Power Conference opponent was against Arkansas in 2015.
Anatomy of a rout
In a 71-0 snoozer over Kent State, Tennessee was clinical in its dissection of an opponent that seems destined for a winless season.
Despite holding a slim 3-min-
ute, 40-second edge in time of possession, Tennessee did not punt, rushed for 456 yards (8.3 yards per carry) and scored touchdowns on all nine of its first-half possessions. Kent State, 1-11 last season, totaled 112 yards on 12 possessions.
Tennessee’s point total represents a school record for the modern era (since 1937).
Quotable
“It’s a good win. It will get a lot of people’s attention. We have to learn how to deal with success. It’s a lot better than dealing with failure.”
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti after his team handed UCLA a 29-point setback in its Big Ten debut
Notable
ö Nebraska’s Big Ten opener against Illinois tonight at Memorial Stadium represents the program’s NCAA-record 400th consecutive sellout. The streak dates back to the 1962 season.
ö The nation’s lone 200-yard rusher last weekend was Omarion Hampton of North Carolina who gained 210 yards on 25 carries (8.4 yard avg.) and scored three touchdowns in a 45-10 win over North Carolina Central. Hampton, a junior, rushed for 1,504 yards last season.
Jim Caltagirone, a former member of Penn State’s sports information department, comments on the national scene for Gameday. He can be reached at jimclion4ever@gmail.com.
Jim Caltagirone
Lion D-line welcomes bye week
By Andy Stine astine@altoonamirror.com
No matter if a team is two games into a season or 10 games, the rest that a bye week presents is always welcomed.
The rest may have been needed for Penn State’s defensive line as it put up a subpar performance against Bowling Green,
half. Falcons quarterback Connor Bazelak had too much time to put the ball where he wanted, and it resulted in 192 passing yards
But as great teams usually do, the Lions’ defense responded much better out of halftime and only allowed three points to avoid an early-season upset that would have crippled PSU’s College Football Playoff chances.
“This is just a good sign of who we are as a team, how we’re able to bounce back and how we respond to adversity,” PSU defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas said, who had four tackles, including one for a loss.
“This was a challenge. It didn’t necessarily need to be, but I respect Bowl-
FRIDAY
EAST
47 Penn State players active on NFL rosters
IN THE TRENCHES
ing Green a lot. They’re a good team. They came out swinging. I appreciated this moment because it taught us how to come together and go harder than ever.”
Abdul Carter was the leader that the defense needs him to be with sev-
Stanford (1-1) at Syracuse (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
MIDWEST
Illinois (3-0) at Nebraska (3-0), 8 p.m. FAR WEST
San Jose St. (3-0) at Washington St. (3-0), 10 p.m.
SATURDAY
EAST
Stetson (2-1) at Harvard (0-0), Noon
Lafayette (2-1) at Columbia (0-0), Noon
WV Wesleyan (0-0) at Duquesne (1-2), Noon
Rhode Island (2-1) at LIU Brooklyn (0-3), Noon
Kansas (1-2) at West Virginia (1-2), Noon
Villanova (3-0) at Maryland (2-1), Noon
Princeton (0-0) at Lehigh (2-1), Noon
Rice (1-2) at Army (2-0), Noon
Sacred Heart (2-1) at Stonehill (0-2), 1 p.m.
Brown (0-0) at Georgetown (2-1), 1 p.m.
Fordham (0-3) at Dartmouth (0-0), 1 p.m.
Cornell (0-0) at Colgate (0-3), 1 p.m.
Maine (1-2) at Merrimack (1-2), 1 p.m.
Utah St. (1-2) at Temple (0-3), 2 p.m.
Yale (0-0) at Holy Cross (1-2), 2 p.m.
Bryant (1-2) at New Hampshire (2-1), 3 p.m.
Youngstown St. (1-2) at Pittsburgh (3-0),
3:30 p.m.
CCSU (2-1) at Umass (0-3), 3:30 p.m.
Memphis (3-0) at Navy (2-0), 3:30 p.m.
en tackles, and a key pass break-up on fourth down in
“I’d say we were kind of relaxed and that’s not our defense and not our standard,” Carter said. “We have to come out with aggression and I feel like we’re going to work on that.”
Marist (0-2) at Bucknell (1-2), 6 p.m.
Penn (0-0) at Delaware (2-0), 6 p.m.
Richmond (1-2) at Delaware St. (1-2), 6 p.m.
Va. Lynchburg (0-2) at Morgan St. (1-2), 7 p.m.
FAU (1-2) at Uconn (1-2), 7 p.m.
Michigan St. (3-0) at Boston College (2-1), 8 p.m. SOUTH
James Madison (2-0) at North Carolina (3-0), Noon
NC State (2-1) at Clemson (1-1), Noon
Florida (1-2) at Mississippi St. (1-2), Noon
Tulane (1-2) at Louisiana-Lafayette (2-0), Noon
Ohio (2-1) at Kentucky (1-2), 12:45 p.m.
Norfolk St. (1-3) at VMI (0-3), 1:30 p.m.
Virginia (2-1) at Coastal Carolina (3-0), 2 p.m.
Tennessee St. (2-1) at Tennessee Tech (0-2), 2:30 p.m.
Clark Atlanta (0-0) at Bethune-Cookman (0-3), 3 p.m.
Southern Miss. (1-2) at Jacksonville St. (0-3), 3 p.m.
UCLA (1-1) at LSU (2-1), 3:30 p.m.
Rutgers (2-0) at Virginia Tech (2-1), 3:30 p.m.
Georgia Tech (3-1) at Louisville (2-0), 3:30 p.m.
Arkansas (2-1) at Auburn (2-1), 3:30 p.m.
MVSU (0-3) at Nicholls (0-3), 4 p.m.
Hampton (2-1) vs. Howard (2-1) at Washington, D.C., Md., 4 p.m.
Duke (3-0) at Middle Tennessee (1-2), 4 p.m.
What the defensive line’s rotations will look like this week will be a question with last week’s news of Amin Vanover being charged with DUI of marijuana. Vanover was arrested on Aug. 8 and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 2.
WEEK 4 SCHEDULE
Stony Brook (2-1) at Campbell (1-2), 5
The Citadel (2-1) at Mercer (3-0), 6 p.m.
Morehead St. (2-1) at E. Kentucky (1-2), 6 p.m.
East Carolina (2-1) at Liberty (3-0), 6 p.m.
Furman (1-2) at William & Mary (2-1), 6 p.m.
Monmouth (NJ) (1-2) at FIU (1-2), 6 p.m.
ETSU (1-2) at Elon (1-2), 6 p.m.
Toledo (3-0) at W. Kentucky (2-1), 7 p.m.
NC A&T (1-2) at NC Central (1-2), 7 p.m.
Miami (3-0) at South Florida (2-1), 7 p.m.
California (3-0) at Florida St. (0-3), 7 p.m.
Florida A&M (2-1) at Troy (0-3), 7 p.m.
Alabama A&M (2-1) at Austin Peay (0-3), 7 p.m.
Gardner-Webb (0-3) at Presbyterian (2-1), 7 p.m.
Jackson St. (2-1) at Grambling St. (2-1), 7 p.m.
Missouri St. (1-2) at UT Martin (1-2), 7 p.m.
Tulsa (1-2) at Louisiana Tech (1-1), 7 p.m.
S. Dakota St. (2-1) at SE Louisiana (1-2), 7 p.m.
Weber St. (1-2) at Northwestern St. (0-3), 7 p.m.
Tarleton St. (2-1) at North Alabama (0-4), 7 p.m.
Akron (1-2) at South Carolina (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern (2-1) at Mississippi (3-0), 7:45 p.m.
Alcorn St. (1-2) at McNeese St. (2-2), 8 p.m. MIDWEST
Marshall (1-1) at Ohio St. (2-0), Noon
Houston (1-2) at Cincinnati (2-1), Noon
Charlotte (1-2) at Indiana (3-0), Noon
Ave Maria (0-1) at Dayton (1-1), Noon
UNIVERSITY PARK –
A total of 47 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 24 National Football League organizations.
With the retirement of all-time great kicker Robbie Gould following the 2023 campaign, DaQuan Jones takes up the mantle as Penn State’s longest-tenured NFL player, now entering his 11th professional campaign.
(*denotes practice squad)
ö Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
ö*Mitchell Tinsley (2022) WR, Washington Commanders
ö Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
ö Caedan Wallace (2019-23) OL, New England Patriots
ö Parker Washington (2020-22) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Wyoming (0-3) at North Texas (2-1), 7 p.m. Sacramento St. (1-2) at Texas A&M Commerce (0-3), 7 p.m.
Southern U. (1-2) at Prairie View (1-2), 7 p.m. Bowling Green (1-1) at Texas A&M (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee (3-0) at Oklahoma (3-0), 7:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe (2-0) at Texas (3-0), 8 p.m.
Idaho (2-1) at Abilene Christian (2-1), 8 p.m. N. Colorado (0-3) at Stephen F. Austin (12), 8 p.m. FAR WEST
E. Washington (1-2) at Nevada (1-3), 3 p.m.
Mercyhurst (1-2) at Montana St. (3-0), 3 p.m. W. Carolina (1-2) at Montana (2-1), 3 p.m. UTEP (0-3) at Colorado St. (1-2), 5 p.m. S. Utah (1-2) at Idaho St. (1-2), 6 p.m.
Northwestern (2-1) at Washington (2-1), 7 p.m.
Baylor (2-1) at Colorado (2-1), 8 p.m. Fresno St. (2-1) at New Mexico (0-3), 8:30 p.m.
Purdue (1-1) at Oregon St. (2-1), 8:30 p.m. Portland St. (0-2) at Boise St. (1-1), 9:45 p.m. Utah Tech (0-3) at UC Davis (2-1), 10 p.m. Kansas St. (3-0) at BYU (3-0), 10:30 p.m. N. Iowa (2-1) at Hawaii (1-2), 12 a.m.
The Associated Press Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter pressures Bowling Green quarterback Connor Bazelak during the fourth quarter on Sept. 7 at Beaver Stadium.
Robert Morris (1-2) at Wagner (2-1), 4 p.m.
p.m.
Kansas in desperation mode after consecutive losses
By Dave Skretta
The Associated Press
LAWRENCE, Kan. —
This was supposed to be the breakthrough year at Kansas, when a program Lance Leipold built from nationwide laughingstock to respectability took another step into the upper echelon of the Big 12 and, just maybe, the College Football Playoff.
All of which could still happen. But it would take a dramatic turn of events.
After starting the season in the AP Top 25, the Jayhawks have lost backto-back games to fall out altogether. The latest was Saturday night, a 23-20 loss to UNLV in which Kansas dragged itself down with nine penalties, a defensive collapse that led to a touchdown
more ill-advised throws from veteran quarterback Jalon Daniels.
The one-time Heisman Trophy candidate had four turnovers the previous week in a 23-17 loss at Illinois. Daniels threw two more picks against the Runnin’ Rebels, giving him six this season, and he has just 442 yards and three TDs passing.
“He’s playing hard, but he’s not playing like the Jalon that we know,” Leipold admitted, before adding: “I’m going to put this on me. I’m not going to put it on the kids right
out a better way to stay in rhythm and do it.”
The Jayhawks’ defense has kept them in both of their losses, holding UNLV to just 267 yards on Saturday night. That included 92 yards in the second half, and 39 on the ground, when Kansas should have been building upon its 17-13 halftime lead.
Instead, the Jayhawks in the fourth quarter. And when they did get the ball back following UNLV’s go-ahead touchdown with 2 minutes to go, they were unable to produce anoth-
have forced overtime.
Just how bad has the offense been under new coordinator Jeff Grimes?
Kansas is last in the Big 12 in yards passing, averaging a meager 164.3 per game, and better than only Colorado, Iowa State and Houston in scoring at 28.3 points per game.
“We have to be able “Our defense was out plays left and right, and our offense has to be out there helping those guys out. We have to go in thereter.”
Right away — because
the sense of urgency is real with Big 12 play starting at West Virginia on Saturday.
Kansas is coming off back-to-back bowl games, and its nine wins were its most since 2007, when Mark Mangino was still on the sideline and the Jayhawks won the Orange Bowl. The school is in the midst of a massive rebuild of its on-campus football stadium, along with renovations that touch just about every other aspect of the program. And that energy has trickled down to a once-weary fanbase that packed Children’s Mercy Park for the Jayhawks’ two nonconference home games.
And with Oklahoma and Texas departing the Big 12 for the SEC this season, there were plenty of folks around Kansas — like a lot of other schools
in the second half on Sept. 13 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.
in the league — who viewed a sudden power vacuum atop the conference. Someone would wrestle control of the Big 12, and its spot in the College Football Playoff, and why couldn’t it be the Jayhawks?
That opportunity still exists, because their two losses have been out-of-conference games.
The playoff system presently in place means those defeats are far less damaging than they might have been in past years.
No. 2 Georgia enters its bye on a defensive roll
Bulldogs visit No. 4 Alabama on Sept. 28
By Gary B. GraveS
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Georgia knows an opponent inevitably will score a touchdown because that’s football, and no defense is perfect despite the No. 2 Bulldogs looking impermeable right now.
Georgia (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) expects plenty of shots from No. 4 Alabama and dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe when it visits Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28 after a bye week. The ‘Dawgs enter their down time one spot lower in the AP Top 25 but feeling good about allowing past four games dating to last season.
“Our defense takes a lot of
pride in how they play, our defensive staff does an incredible job,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, noting his team’s red-zone defense and limiting explosive plays as keys to their success.
“They work really hard on game planning for people. We’re going to play better and better offenses, (so) we’ve got to get better and better. But it’s pretty hard to do. I don’t know if anybody in college football has been able to sustain it. It’s just pretty hard to do.”
Georgia’s impressive run began with a 63-3 throttling of Florida State in last season’s Orange Bowl, which spoke volumes about the Bulldogs’ frustration over being excluded from the College Football Playoff and denying their quest for an unprecedented third consecutive national championship.
They held then-No. 14 Clemson to just 188 yards and a sec-
mph in Athens, Georgia. (Smart said not playing Harris was a coach’s decision.)
That forced a lot of personnel shifts, but Georgia still limited the scoring-challenged Wild-
ex-Bulldogs backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff three times
opening-game rout. Georgia nearly shut out Tennessee Tech before the Golden Eagles made blowout.
Smart was especially proud of Saturday night’s 13-12 victory over Kentucky because of Georgia’s resilience on both sides of the ball but particularly on defense. Linemen Mykel Williams, Jordan Hall and Warren Brinson were out and cornerback Daniel Harris did not play though dressed, two days after being arrested for allegedly driving 106
Linebacker Damon Wilson II also recovered a second-quarter fumble after Raylen Wilson stripped Vandagriff on a sack, setting upond quarter.
The effort kept Kentucky at bay long enough for Georgia’s offense to snap out of its own fog and score the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter and hold on in the defensive slugfest.
None of this is surprising for a defense that has produced 23 NFL draft picks the past four sea-tions. Georgia entered the season with seven starters back from a unit that allowed just 15.6 points per game last season.
The Bulldogs currently rank fourth in scoring defense (6.0 points per game) and eighth overall (202 yards), two signs that they’re developing a meaner edge.
“It was unbelievable, especially with guys down,” quarterback Carson Beck said. “You look at the D-line, there’s freshmen stepping up, you got freshmen allries and all of the above. Super proud of them and the way they were able to play.”
“Some games, the defense is down and the offense will pick us up and sometimes the offense is down and the defense picks it up,” defensive back Julian Humphrey said. “It’s like vice versa. We’ve got their back.”
The Associated Press Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throws against UNLV
84 Peter Gonzalez WR 6-2 203 Fr. Mars, Pa. Pittsburgh Central Catholic
85 Luke Reynolds TE 6-4 241 Fr. Westford, Mass. Cheshire Academy (Conn.)
86 Jason Estrella WR 6-2 193 R-Jr.
86
Oct. 12 at Southern Cal
26 at Wisconsin
9
16 at Purdue
23 at Minnesota
30
Andy Kotelnicki, Offensive coordinator
Tom Allen, Defensive coordinator/LBs
Justin Ludwig, Special teams/OLBs/Nickels
Anthony Poindexter, Co-DC/Safeties
Ty Howle, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight ends
Deion Barnes, Defensive line
Ja’Juan Seider, Asst. HC/Co-OC/RBs
Terry M. Smith, Asst. HC/def. recruiting/CBs
Marques Hagans, Off. recruiting coord/WRs Phil Trautwein, Offensive line CONFERENCE: Big Ten
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
2023 SCHEDULE
Guarantee game opportunities could shrink
Small-budget schools look to adapt as sport continues to evolve
By Ralph D. Russo
The Associated Press
Ohio State and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.
Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million.
Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for different reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.
Guarantee games are those one-off matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State that typically means cutting a check of around $1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State.
More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic victory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.
But as the model for compensating athletes evolves and more money needs to be directed to players, all the ways business has traditionally been done in college sports are being evaluated. The guarantee game seems unlikely to go away any time soon, but Bjork and Richmond are unsure if they will be as common as they are now.
“I think we have to put it under review to see what is the future of those kind of games,” Bjork said.
By the numbers
This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research.
There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure, but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Appalachian State’s 34-32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.
Ohio State’s anomaly
of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckagainst a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series.
Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ‘23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ‘26, and Alabama the following two seasons.
This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall. The Buckeyes beat Akron and WMU by a combined 108-6 and are heavily favored against the Thundering Herd on Saturday.
It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022. The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity 102,780) in ‘22, according to the to the NCAA.
Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said.
ference schools.
“I don’t love the model and at the same time understand the -
cially to run this athletic department, because we do have a great opportunity to impact the lives of young people,” he said last week. “And we can only do that if we are meeting our budgetary demands and needs.”
Richmond is also well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns.
gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it
Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), but Richmond believes the administration is motivated to explore moving away from these types of schedules.
Kent State might not have a choice.
“Meaning there’s a ceiling on those type of games from a revenue standpoint versus when I look at our projections for a Big Ten opponent. Those games can be double, triple, quadruple the amount of revenue that we’re seeing for a guarantee,” he said.
Essentially, Ohio State is bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.
Often Ohio State plays two guarantee games in a season to ensure having at least seven home games, but will that even be worth it if the school will soon be setting aside upward of $20 million in revenue per year to pay to its athletes?
The NCAA and power conferences, including Ohio State’s Big Ten, are working toward a settlement of a series of antitrust lawsuits that will cost $2.78 billion in damages and set up a new revenue-sharing system to pay athletes.
“Everything is under evalua-
tion,” Bjork said when it comes to how money is spent and made in big-time college athletics. Power conference teams also have to consider schedule strength with an eye toward making the playoff and how matchups against lesser opponents impact television partners paying hundreds of millions to broadcast games, Bjork said.
Kent State’s conundrum
On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State. The Gold-
by a combined 126-24, including Saturday’s 71-0 loss in Knoxville. They play at Penn State on Saturday.
Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two. One or two per year is the norm for lower-budget, non-power con-
Dave Brown, whose software and subscription service Gridiron helps schools schedule nonconference games, said guarantee games are increasingly becoming a buyer’s market with more schools moving into FBS recently and the Big Ten no longer discouraging its members from playing FCS games.
If the Southeastern Conference were to move to a ninegame conference schedule in 2026, which it is considering, that would remove 16 more potential opportunities for guarantee games.
“That’ll really hurt the market,” Brown said.
As with most things in college sports, the wealthiest programs will ultimately determine the direction this goes and how often big schools play the smaller ones. While Richmond would like Kent State to play fewer guarantee games, none is not the goal.
“Being tethered together is always the best thing (for FBS), in my humble opinion,” he said. “I don’t know that Kent State has an option to dictate whether that’s the case or not.”
The Associated Press
Kent State quarterback JD Sherrod is tackled by Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter (left) defensive back Edrees Farooq (center) and defensive lineman Jaxson Moi (51) on Saturday in Knoxville.
2024 PENN STATE STATISTICS
Florida State tops biggest disappointments so far
By BoB Ferrante
The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
— Few expected Florida State to run the table again in the Atlantic Coast Conference and coast into the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff. Not after losing quarterback Jordan Travis, running back Trey Benson, receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, and a handful of standout defenders.
However, no one could have seen this coming.
The Seminoles are winless after three games, the result of an erratic passing attack, a sluggish ground game and a defense that can’t seem to stop the run and can’t get consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
And now FSU, which was ranked No. 10 to start the season, is without question the most disappointing team in college football.
And with all due respect to Clemson, Florida and Kansas, it’s not even close.
“I know that it’s a frustrating thing to sit there and look at, and it’s frustrating for everybody involved, for those guys that are out there playing,”
Florida State coach Mike
Norvell said Monday. “They want more. They want to be better. They’re working hard at it. But it’s some of those little things that we have to improve on
and just the consistency of it.”
The only thing Florida State has done consistently this season is lose — twice as a double-digit favorite (Georgia Tech and Boston College) and again as a 6 1/2-point choice against Memphis. The Tigers got a victory against their former coach and a $1.3 million payday.
How the ‘Noles got here is as easier to explain than how they might get out.
Some wonder whether last year’s CFP snub is having a greater impact on the team than anyone could have imagined. But those inside the building insist it’s more about execution and chemistry than psyche and history.
Florida State lost 10 players to the NFL draft,
turned to the transfer portal for help — a place that was so kind to him while building last year’s team that went 13-0 in the regular season — but former Oregon State and Clemson starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has fallen well short of expectations.
Uiagalelei has been so inconsistent — he’s completing 56.6% of his passes with one touchdown — that the FSU faithful have started chanting for backup Brock Glenn.
And those preseason
right dysfunctional at 2.2 yards a carry and 52 yards a game.
And the defense is allowranks 83rd in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Linebacker Justin Cryer admitted to feeling hurt after Saturday’s latest loss but remains hopeful the team can get things turned around.
“I believe in us,” Cryer said. “There’s no doubt about it. I’m the biggest supporter of us that we have. I’m fully committed, I’m fully bought into what we have. ... Things aren’t clicking right now. We’re
The return of offensive coordinator Alex Atkins should help. Atkins will return to the sideline against Cal after serving a threegame suspension due to an NCAA recruiting violation.
discussions about whether Florida State would make the playoff have turned to whether the Seminoles will become bowl eligible. Six
the schedule, which continues Saturday as California (3-0) travels cross-country for its ACC debut.
While Norvell and his assistants tried to focus on details and fundamentals during a bye week before hosting Memphis, little
and the Seminoles lost 20-
12.
Florida State became theball history to start the season inside the top 10 and
unranked opponents. The slide has stirred speculation about Norvell’s future in Tallahassee.
Norvell would be owed roughly $65 million (85% of his remaining contract that runs through 2031) if
It’s an unlikely path, especially for a program al-
ready spending considerably resources in hopes of escaping the ACC and potentially joining a league that would provide moreity.
So the Seminoles might have to power through a slumping season and hope for brighter days ahead and a reboot in 2025.
in scoring offense at 15.3 points a game. The run game, viewed as a strength -
While Florida State’s main goals seem shattered, rivalry games remain against Clemson and Miami as well as a trip to Notre Dame and a regular-sea-
“I can tell you that there’s a lot of work that’s going into that improvement, but we’ve got to see it show up on game day with everybody involved,” Norvell said. “Our team, they understand the expectation of what it’s supposed to look like.”
The Associated Press
Florida State quarterbacks Luke Kromenhoek (14), DJ Uiagalelei (4), defensive back Charles Lester III (4) and defensive back Cade Papineau (38) walk off the field after losing 20-12 to Memphis on Saturday in Tallahassee.
