Coming in hot
Lions’ Top 4 clash with the Buckeyes pivotal to Big Ten, playoff discussion
Sorting through the blue and white mailbag while hoping you’ll make a contribution this season:
Neil:
The Roberson debacle in Iowa City still haunts me. But there was no way that was going to happen in Madison.
The PSU staff has done a masterful job of making sure that Beau received meaningful snaps, and even designed specific packages for him.
Of course, he still could have unraveled against Bucky Badger, but this kid has courage, poise and supreme confidence.
Take a bow, Beau.
Rick Weber Fort Myers, Florida
Rick:
Considering how he couldn’t function at Iowa in 2021, Roberson actually played fairly well at UConn last year, throwing for 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s now Kansas State’s backup.
Neil:
Both Allar and Pribula played well. And second half D as well. But still need to come out strong. O had unnecessary penalties, and D had no pressure on Wisconsin QB; lucky he was so inaccurate. Even though Wisconsin came in with three consecutive wins, they were against weak competition -- Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern, a combined 8-15 as of today. Will we toughen up against OSU?
Lu Dorfman
Houston
Lu:
I’ve seen your first name spelled Lou and Lew but not Lu.
PENN STATE MAILBAG
Rudel vs. the oddsmakers
Line: Ohio State is a 3½-point favorite.
Inside the line: In last 10 matchups, Buckeyes are 9-1 straight up but just 3-7 vs. spread … OSU was giving 4 points last year and covered 20-12 … Bucks are 3-4 vs. spot this year and 3-6 in their last nine games … Over-under is 46.5 …
Total has gone under in 10 of OSU’s last 13 vs. Big Ten foes, six of PSU’s last nine vs. Buckeyes and six of Lions’ last seven games overall … Nits are also 1-5 vs. spot in their last six as an underdog. (Source: Odds Shark).
Prediction: Ohio State 28, Penn State 23
Prediction record: 6-0
PSU vs. line: 3-4
Prediction record vs. line: 3-4
Neil:
We were so fortunate that we were allowed to bring back Trace McSorley at such a critical time.
But wait, that was not Trace, but Beau Pribula playing clutch football like Trace used to.
After he got settled you could see he wasn’t going to allow PSU to lose on his watch.
Now Ohio State has to prepare for two different QBs going into this week’s game.
John Pifer Middlebury Center
John: Take it easy.
Neil:
On the NitWits, Keith Conlin expressed hope that Penn State, in the playoffs, would host a team from the south at Beaver Stadium in December.
I’ve seen one early projection with Penn State hosting Boise State, the Group of Five champion. Boise State is very familiar with cold weather games so that edge would not be there for Penn State.
Will Walk Spring,Texas
Will:
Lot of possibilities.
“Goon” wants an SEC team up here.
Hello, Neil:
I need your medical advice. How can we continue to watch this top-tier (yet not “elite”) college football team game after game, season after season, for decades without suffering from near constant frustration or disappointment or even potentially severe heart palpitations even when they win?
Thanks, doctor.
John Raymond Marshfield, MA
Hello, John:
Way above my pay grade.
Neil:
Hi, fellow ex-Duncansviller here. I am now in Florida.
My brother and I both noticed that the turf at Beaver Stadium during the UCLA game was in awful condition. There were brown spots everywhere. This surprised me; usually the turf there is top-notch. Did you or any of your peers notice this?
Tom Rabits Orange City, Florida
Tom:
I asked around, and suspicion was the lack of rain and the fact that the Lions were home four straight weeks took its toll on the field.
Mark Brennan took some pictures of the field this past Monday, and it looked better.
Neil:
I think the Reed interception was a turning point in the game. However, his misconduct penalty put Wisconsin in good field position to start their next drive.
I remember Joe Paterno had a saying for players that score a touchdown: Act like you have been there before.
You mention you played the Bedford Elks Golf Course. A few years ago, I was playing in a foursome at the Elks.
On the fourth hole my drive was about 125 yards from the green. In a stroke of luck, my second shot went in the hole.
The group started yelling and jumping, and I stood there and did nothing.
They asked what was wrong with me. From the great Joe Paterno, I simply said act like you have done it before.
Bill Obert Bedford
Bill:
TV didn’t capture the infraction that great.
It looked like Reed handed the ball to somebody in the crowd.
P.S. Joe didn’t play golf.
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.
GAME FACTS
OHIO STATE (6-1) AT PENN STATE (7-0)
KICKOFF: Noon
WHERE: Beaver Stadium RANKINGS: Penn State and Ohio State are ranked 3rd and 4th, respectively, in both the AP Top 25 and LBM US Coaches Poll.
COACHES: James Franklin is 95-39 in his 11th season at Penn State and 119-54 in overall. Ryan Day is 62-9 in his seventh season at Ohio State.
SERIES HISTORY: Ohio State leads the alltime series, 25-14. The Buckeyes have won seven straight in the series from 2017-2023 and 11 of the last 12 meetings. PSU’s last win came at home, 2421, in 2016.
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
RADIO: ESPN Radio 1430 WVAM. Steve Jones and Jack Ham handle call, beginning at 10:30 a.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).
Water• Snacks• Cigarettes• Ice• Kegs• Imported Cigars
Over
Over 250 Brands of Beer Under One Roof Domestics and Imports
Neil Rudel
MIRROR GAME BREAKDOWN
Chris Masse analyzes the matchups vs. Ohio State
PENN STATE
Ohio State
If Beau Pribula starts and Penn State wins, he could become as beloved in State College as Nick Foles as in Philadelphia. Speaking of Pribula, kudos to Andy Kotelnicki for changing his game plan on the fly under duress at Wisconsin. This Niners fan wishes Kyle Shanahan could do that. Run success would be huge Saturday to keep OSU off field.
This unit’s star power is off the charts but Buckeyes managed just 2.1 yards per carry against a suspect Nebraska defense which was gouged the previous week against Indiana. Cornhuskers basically provided the blue print, which is try and make Will Howard carry the offense. Yes, his receiving group may be one of the country’s best, but if I’m PSU, I take that chance.
Abdul Carter gets the most flowers, but I’d have to give Jaylen Reed defensive MVP honors. That dude just makes crucial plays at huge times. Am I the only one who thinks not having Dani Dennis-Sutton would be a bigger loss than Allar? Pribula provides the offense a different dynamic, but it’s hard to replace someone who can wreak havoc like Dennis-Sutton.
Only one Big Ten team is ahead of Penn State in points and yards per game. You guessed it, it’s Ohio State. Granted, both advantages are slim, as are the leads in rushing and passing yards per game. Oregon is the only team to score more than 17 points against this unit. Cornerback Denzel Burke can be a game-changer and is projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Riley Thompson has dropped to 15th among 16 Big Ten punters in kicking average. Yikes. His placement, though, has been solid. USC hero Ryan Barker had a quiet night in Madison, trying no field goals. As good as he has been, it will be interesting to see how he holds up in a game of this magnitude for the first time.
Ohio State has been outstanding in the red zone, highlighted by kicker Jayden Fielding having to try just four field goals, while going 36-of-36 on extra points. Fielding missed his first field goal last week and is 19-of-24 the past two seasons. Remember when I boo hooed Thompson being 15th in the Big Ten in punting? Well, Joe McGuire is 16th, so there’s that.
COACHING/INTANGIBLES
Have you heard that James Franklin is 1-9 against Ohio State and that one win was kind of a fluke? Just checking. Big Game James also hardly inspires confidence for this one, going 3-17 against Top 10 teams. His assistants, though, have been outstanding but what has become a weekly normal slow start could be fatal against Buckeyes.
I saw a hilarious tweet from an angry Ohio State fan after the Oregon loss which read, “Ryan Day is the Michael Jordan of James Franklin’s.” Ouch. Still, Day at least has gotten his teams to some of the biggest games over the years so it’s also a false statement. Day is 4-0 against Penn State so he must be doing something right.
Prediction: Penn State is a really good football team. I just think Ohio State is better and, on average, better prepared. This is a case where I will always make the safe selection — Penn State losing the biggest game of the year under Big Game James — until proven wrong. Ohio State 27, Penn State 17.
Despite their recent struggles, the Buckeyes have arguably the most talent of any team in college football. Ohio State has won eight straight over the Nittany Lions and if Drew Allar can’t go, it will be a long day in Happy Valley. Both teams have top ten defenses, but the Buckeyes offense has a clear advantage.
Chris Masse is a sports writer for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, a sister paper of the Mirror and part of Ogden Newspapers.
Difficult to sort out College Football Playoff field
Apath of least resistance to the College Football Playoff does exist.
For teams in major conferences other than the SEC, that is.
The path has been created by virtue of fortuitous conference affiliation and favorable non-conference scheduling.
SEC teams run a gauntlet of nationally-ranked opponents from within their own conference.
With a month remaining in the regular season, there are no undefeated SEC teams.
The Big Ten has three undefeated teams — Indiana, Oregon and Penn State — and only a conference championship will bring two of them together this season.
The same situation exists in the Big 12 and ACC with undefeated teams BYU and Iowa State and Miami and Pitt, respectively.
Army (7-0) is the lone undefeated team in the American Athletic Conference.
Of those eight undefeated teams, Army, Indiana, Miami and Pitt have yet to play a team that was ranked at the time.
BYU, Iowa State and Penn State have each been involved in one Top-25 matchup. Oregon has faced two nationally-ranked opponents.
By contrast, No. 2 Georgia (6-1 overall, 4-1 SEC) has played three ranked teams — non-conference opponent Clemson in the opener, Alabama and Texas. Two more teams that are currently ranked remain on the schedule.
With eight SEC teams populating the latest AP Top-25 Rankings, there should be no cause for complaint from other conferences
if the SEC ends up with majority representation in the CFP field.
All things considered, the CFP contenders from the other major conferences have been traveling on Easy Street since opening week.
Roaring in Memphis
Memphis avoided an upset at home and remained in contention for a spot in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game by defeating Charlotte last Saturday, 33-28, on a touchdown pass with 31 seconds remaining in the game.
With their fourth straight win, the Tigers improved to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Army (6-0), Navy (4-0) and Tulane (4-0) are undefeated in the AAC.
Memphis has scored 20 or more points in 34 consecutive games, which is the longest-active streak in the nation. The Tigers are one of five teams with 60 or more home wins since 2014. The others are Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan.
Liking those apples
Despite biding their time until the Pac-12 re-organizes and receives recognition as an FBS conference again, Washington State has quietly won seven of eight games and earned a No. 22 national ranking.
The Cougars have beaten Texas Tech of the Big 12, Washington of
NATIONAL VIEW
the Big Ten and San Jose State, Fresno State, Hawaii and San Diego State of the Mountain West Conference. The combined overall record of Washington State opponents is 25-22.
The other win was over Portland State, a team that competes in the FCS-affiliated Big Sky Conference. The loss was to No. 15 Boise State (6-1).
No bite or bark
If Mississippi State was an NFL team, skeptics might accuse the Bulldogs of deliberately tanking in an all-out effort to capture the No. 1 draft pick.
By standards of overall record, performance and statistics, MSU is one of the worst teams in the country, never mind the SEC.
The Bulldogs (1-7 overall, 0-5 SEC) were rolled over by Arkansas last weekend, 58-25. It was the seventh consecutive loss for MSU.
The team’s win was over Eastern Kentucky, which competes in the FCS-affiliated United Athletic Conference.
Arkansas punted once in the game while totaling 673 yards of offense, including 359 rushing yards.
Among the 133 FBS teams, Mississippi State is ranked 129th in total defense and 125th in rushing defense.
The Bulldogs’ last chance for a win this season might be on Saturday when MSU hosts UMass (2-6). Games against No. 7 Tennessee, No. 25 Missouri and No. 19 Ole Miss follow.
High in the saddle
Western Michigan, which last won a Mid-American Conference Championship in 2016, is 4-0 in conference play and 5-3 overall. The Broncos defeated Kent State last Saturday for their fourth straight victory, all against MAC foes.
Two of WMU’s losses were to Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Western Michigan’s two other conference championships were in 1988 and 1966 (co-championship).
Quotable
“I still have a lot of belief in this football team. We’re just in a funk of sorts that we can’t seem to break out of.”
— Kyle Whittingham after Utah (4-4 overall, 1-4 Big 12) was beaten by Houston, 17-14, for its fourth straight loss
“This is a real program. It’s not fake. It’s not a politician running this program, talking fast and BS-ing everybody. This is a real program and for all the recruits out there, this is a real place.”
— Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko after the then-14thranked Aggies defeated No. 8 LSU, 38-23
“That’s a tremendous hurdle, that we’re happy, we’re excited, but that’s not the end goal for us. That’s the beginning, but we are thankful and appreciative that the hard work is going noticed.”
— Colorado head coach Deion Sanders after the Buffaloes (6-2) defeated Cincinnati to become bowl eligible for the first time in a full season since 2016
Notable
ö The only Top-25 matchups this weekend are No. 4 Ohio State at No. 3 Penn State and No. 18 Pitt at No. 20 SMU.
ö Despite turning the ball over six times, SMU (7-1) defeated Duke, 28-27 in overtime, bolstered by a defense that did not allow any points off those turnovers.
ö Prior to the Mustangs’ squeaker, FBS teams were 1-124 this century when on the wrong side of a turnover differential that was six or more. Marshall defeated Memphis under similarly unfavorable circumstances in 2011.
ö Colorado State, unbeaten in the Mountain West, won its third straight conference game for the first time since 2019. The win over New Mexico kept the Rams (5-3 overall, 3-0 MWC) atop the conference standings with Boise State (3-0 MWC) and San Diego State (2-0 MWC).
ö Kansas State defeated Kansas for the 16th straight time, which is tied for the longest-active uninterrupted winning streak in a series. Also in October, Clemson beat Wake Forest for the 16th straight time.
ö The longest-active losing streak in FBS was extended to 17 games last Saturday when Kent State was beaten by Western Michigan.
ö Oklahoma State (3-5 overall, 0-5 Big 12) has lost five straight games for the first time since 2014.
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
Best and worst of PSU-Ohio State series
Penn State’s top 10 wins over Ohio State, according to the Mirror’s Neil Rudel:
Oct. 22, 2016
Beaver Stadium 24-21
Marcus Allen’s blocked field goal was returned 60 yards by Grant Haley for a touchdown. The Lions weren’t ranked, but the Buckeyes were No. 2. PSU fans, all dressed in white, flooded the field. The play became a springboard to Penn State’s first appearance in the Big Ten title game, which it won.
Oct. 29, 1994
Beaver Stadium 63-14
A complete domination by the No. 1 Nittany Lions, who rolled out their best offense in school history. Ki-Jana Carter scored four touchdowns, Kerry Collins threw for two more, and Bobby Engram put on a show. Nits led 35-0 at half. It was the first time Ohio State surrendered 60 points since losing 86-0 to Michigan in 1902.
Oct. 8, 2005
Beaver Stadium 17-10
Google this one. The Lions were ranked No. 16 and the Buckeyes No. 6. It was one of the first White Out night games, and Tamba Hali’s late sack of Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith shook the stadium and clinched the victory.
Oct. 27, 2001
Beaver Stadium 29-27
Two unranked teams, and things weren’t going well for Penn State, which was on its way to a second-straight losing season. The Lions were down 27-9 in the third quarter when Zack Mills ran 69 yards for a touchdown to ignite the comeback and deliver Joe Paterno’s 324th victory, which broke Bear Bryant’s record. JoePa was carried off the field.
Oct. 25, 2008
Ohio Stadium 13-6
The Lions preserved their No. 3 ranking by beating the No. 10 Bucks in a defensive struggle. Losing 6-3, safety Marc Rubin punched the ball out from Ohio State freshman QB Terrelle Pryor, and NaVorro Bowman recovered. Pat Devlin, who replaced Daryll Clark (concussion) led a TD drive. Joe Paterno who hurt his leg early in the season, coached from the press box with Tom Bradley managing the sidelines.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Oct. 11, 1997
Beaver Stadium 31-27
Curtis Enis rushed for 211 yards and, along with Aaron Harris, led the No. 2 Lions to a comeback win over the No. 7 Buckeyes.
Dec. 26, 1980
Fiesta Bowl 31-19
Curt Warner set a PSU bowl rushing record (155 yards), and the Lions’ defense pitched a second-half shutout after trailing 19-10 at half. The game provided momentum for great teams in 1981-82.
Sept. 16, 1978
Ohio Stadium 19-0
The Bruce Clark/Matt Millen-led defense forced five interceptions from OSU freshman Art Schlichter, and Matt Bahr kicked four field goals. The Lions finished the regular season unbeaten but lost to Alabama for the national championship.
Nov. 7, 1964
Ohio Stadium 27-0
The unranked Lions put a beating on the No. 2 Buckeyes, coached by Woody Hayes. It marked the third-straight time (1956 and ’63 were the others) Rip Engle defeated Hayes — all in Columbus and each time with the Bucks ranked. Altoona’s Mike Irwin and Bill Huber were starters for for the Lions.
Nov. 19, 2011
Ohio Stadium 20-14
Notable because Joe Paterno had been fired a week earlier in the wake of the Sandusky scandal. Tom Bradley was the Lions’ interim coach (Luke Fickell coached the Buckeyes, also on an interim basis after Jim Tressel resigned). Stephfon Green (93), Silas Reed (63) and Curtis Drake (50) led the Lions’ ground game. It’s the last time PSU has won in Columbus.
TOUGHEST FIVE LOSSES
Sept. 29, 2018
Beaver Stadium 27-26
This triggered James Franklin’s famous “elite” speech after a second-straight one-point come-from-ahead loss to the Buckeyes. It almost helped us forget the fourthand-5 call to Miles Sanders with the game on the line and Trace McSorley’s outstanding effort (461 yards).
Oct. 28, 2017
Ohio
39-38
Lions, ranked No. 2, opened the game with a 97-yard kickoff return by Saquon Barkley, then proceeded to lead 21-3, 28-10, 35-20 and 38-27 with 5:42 left before surrendering the game’s last 12 points to the Buckeyes, who threw for 328 yards.
Oct. 25, 2014
Beaver Stadium 31-24
Was Franklin’s first season at PSU. Lions rallied from 17-0 deficit (starting with Anthony Zettel’s interception return) to force overtime. But they couldn’t contain J.T. Barrett, who scored twice in the extra period.
Sept. 23, 2000
Ohio Stadium 45-6
Most notable because freshman cornerback Adam Taliaferro was critically injured late in the game, but — thankfully — he eventually regained his mobility and, to this day, serves as an inspiration to the Penn State Nation and beyond.
Oct. 26, 2013
Ohio Stadium 63-14
The NCAA sanctions were taking their toll on the Lions’ roster, and Urban Meyer was showing no mercy. In fact, with a 56-7 lead late in the third quarter, he challenged a spot. You could see the smoke pouring out of Bill O’Brien’s ears.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski
Penn State cornerback Grant Haley (15) recovers a blocked field goal by Marcus Allen and returns it 60 yards for a touchdown to beat the Buckeyes on Oct. 22, 2016 at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State-Ohio State exposure off charts
Sure, you can be a loyal James Franklin follower and buy into the 1-0 mantra, all that one-week-at-a-time stuff that you rationalize as true, but some college football Saturdays just mean more than others.
Ohio State-Penn State this week meets that standard.
Honestly, it exceeds that standard and has all the makings of being the most important and meaningful game in Beaver Stadium history.
Too much? Try this …
Two Top 5 teams with inaugural College Football Playoff spots on the line. Both nationally televised pregame shows on site. A noon timeslot that regularly features some of the most-watched games in the sport. And, oh, a former president in the stadium.
Go ahead, find all those ingredients for some previous Penn State home game. … That’s right, this is the first.
From a media perspective, it’s hard to believe any regular season Penn State game will get the attention of this one.
First, beyond this game, it’s a weak schedule nationally. This is the game of the weekend. Period.
If Penn State wins, it will almost certainly be guaranteed a spot in the playoff, and it’s probably in good shape even with a loss.
Conversely, Ohio State already has a loss at Oregon (a game that drew more than 10 million viewers on NBC two weeks ago) and another L might be almost a death blow to the Buckeyes’ playoff hopes.
So, there are big, obvious stakes.
Fox wanted this matchup as a Big Noon game from before the start of the season because of the teams involved and where it falls on the calendar.
With teams from two Ohio and Pennsylvania, three days before the presidential election, it will be important for advertisers and attract a lot of viewers.
The presence of the pregame shows — ESPN’s College GameDay and Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff — will not impact game viewership but they’ll certainly amp up attention and energy on site. Plus, their broadcasts amount to five combined hours of infomercial programming for the Penn State football program. GameDay will set up shop outside Gate C of the Bryce Jordan Center from 9 to 11:30 a.m. while Big Noon will broadcast from Gate B from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
At that time, the analysts for both shows will move to sets inside Beaver Stadium before the noon kickoff.
It’s the first time both shows have been in Happy Valley at the same time, although they were both in Columbus for the matchup last season.
It’s the 24th time Penn State has been involved in a GameDay broadcast and the 13th time an Ohio State-Penn State game has been featured.
That’s the most of any match-
TV/RADIO COMMENTARY
Worth watching
Duke at Miami Noon Saturday ABC
Indiana at Michigan State 3:30 p.m. Saturday Peacock
UCLA at Nebraska 3:30 p.m. Saturday BTN
Pittsburgh at SMU 8 p.m. Saturday ACCN
up in GameDay history.
It’s the seventh time Big Noon has aired before a Penn State game — and the third time for a home game.
Fox funny
The funniest moment for either of the pregame shows this season happened a couple weeks ago when Big Noon Kickoff was at Indiana.
Longtime IU supporter and musician John Mellencamp was brought on camera as a guest and asked about his favorite football memories. He noted former coach Lee Corso twice and dropped an f-bomb in the process.
Of course, Corso is the hugely popular longtime analyst on GameDay — the rival show.
So, Fox effectively promoted its competition and let a profanity slip through, which probably drew the attention of the FCC.
Maybe it wasn’t funny to the Fox people, but it had to leave some other folks laughing.
More media
The presence of former president Donald Trump at this week’s game — invited by a suite holder at the stadium — will add to the on-site media contingent. Dozens of media members regularly travel with a presidential candidate, and they’ll certainly be following him closely three days before the election at an event with 100,000-plus people and schools representing two important battleground states. Their presence could help nudge up the attendance number for the game and maybe even approach the stadium record of 110,889, which was set for a game against Ohio State on Sept. 29, 2018.
With the forthcoming renovation of Beaver Stadium, and an expected reduction in capacity as a result, there’s a strong chance any attendance record set this season might stand for a long time.
Notable
ö Here’s hoping some media outlet report on ticketing related to Trump. If a suite holder invited a friend to a game, that’s one person and one ticket — two tickets if they get a plus-one. With Trump, there will be dozens of security personnel as well. It’s just interesting that an ask for a guest can lead to that many more people. Then again, it’s always easier for connected folks, famous folks or people in the know to get tickets to events.
ö Because Beaver Stadium has some of the tightest sidelines in the conference, expect the in-stadium locations for Big Noon and GameDay to be on the concourse behind or near the student section. That’s where Big Noon typically sets up and space on the opposite side of the concourse seems logical for GameDay.
ö Talked to an athletic department marketing person a week or so ago and they said requests for tickets had been coming in from dozens of celebrities, folks who considered themselves celebrities, former players, politicians and others. Those types do like to be seen at events like this.
ö With Penn State adding some higher-end seating options in the north end zone (four seats, table service, $2,400), what was the site for the athletic department’s streaming pregame show will move this week and next.
Sampsell covers the broadcast end of Penn State football for Gameday. He can be reached at stevesampsell@ gmail.com.
Steve Sampsell
Injuries linger ahead of Top 5 clash
By Andy Stine astine@altoonamirror.com
Injuries are becoming a key theme for Penn State football this year.
The biggest one will be the question mark surrounding Drew Allar’s status for this weekend’s huge matchup against Ohio State.
But the Buckeyes are also having a tough time with injuries, specifically on the offensive line. Ohio State lost starting left tackle Josh Simmons for the season to a knee injury two weeks ago. His replacement, Zen Michalski, also was injured in last week’s win over Nebraska.
The injuries have caused Ryan Day and Ohio State to put together a patchwork front line.
All of this, combined with the uncertainty of Dani Dennis-Sutton’s injury status, makes PSU’s defensive front against Ohio State’s offensive line a key matchup this weekend.
Nittany Lion wrestling coach Cael Sanderson even texted with James Franklin over the week to share some strategies on how the wrestling team has managed injuries.
“I think we’ve proven that we have some pretty good depth,” Franklin said. “But obviously when you’re playing one of the better teams, one of the most talented teams in the country, you want to be as healthy as you possibly can.”
Smith Vilbert and Amin Vanover both saw extended time on the field due to Sutton’s injury. Franklin also said he is prepared to play true freshman Max Granville, despite the pos-
FRIDAY
EAST
Yale (4-2) at Columbia (4-2), 7 p.m.
Georgia St. (2-5) at Uconn (5-3), 7 p.m.
SOUTH
South Florida (3-4) at FAU (2-5), 7:30 p.m.
FAR WEST
San Diego St. (3-4) at Boise St. (6-1), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
EAST
Mercyhurst (2-6) at Duquesne (5-2), Noon
Wagner (4-5) at CCSU (3-5), Noon
Merrimack (4-4) at Robert Morris (5-3), Noon
Ohio St. (6-1) at Penn St. (7-0), Noon
Virginia Tech (5-3) at Syracuse (5-2), Noon
Air Force (1-6) at Army (7-0), Noon
Penn (2-4) at Brown (3-3), Noon
Lehigh (4-3) at Georgetown (5-3), 12:30 p.m.
Delaware St. (1-7) at Howard (3-5), 1 p.m.
Monmouth (NJ) (4-4) at Rhode Island (7-1), 1 p.m.
Norfolk St. (3-6) at Morgan St. (3-5), 1 p.m.
Lafayette (4-4) at Bucknell (3-5), 1 p.m.
Stonehill (1-6) at St. Francis (Pa.) (2-6), 1 p.m.
IN THE TRENCHES
Wazzu’s debut in poll makes Pac-12 proud
By eric OlSOn
The Associated Press
Washington State is the pride of the Pac-12 this week.
There really hasn’t been much to celebrate in the old “Conference of Champions” since mass defections left just WSU and Oregon State. Those two are hanging together until five recently announced schools — and hopefully a sixth — join what will be a reconstituted football league in 2026.
comebacks to beat San Jose State and Fresno State.
“That’s why they give you 60 minutes. It’s the Cardiac Cougs,” Dickert said. “There’s no quit in our football team. There’s a lot of grit, a lot of heart, a lot of passion. That comes from within, that comes from the team, that comes from the leaders. There’s no die. It was what, 14-26, right? And they came back, kept believing. We’ve done it before, we do it again.”
sibility of Granville redshirting this season.
Granville saw some snaps at Wisconsin.
“I thought (Vilbert) played very well. I thought Amin played very well. I’m really proud of those two guys,” Franklin said. “Two guys that came from the same high school program that do a phenomenal job. I felt very confident coming into the season that both Smith and Amin were going to have a good year, and I mean that. I think both those guys are going to play football for a long time.”
New Hampshire (4-4) at Albany (NY) (3-5), 1 p.m.
Stony Brook (6-2) at Bryant (2-6), 1 p.m.
Cornell (2-4) at Princeton (2-4), 1 p.m.
Colgate (2-6) at Fordham (0-8), 1 p.m.
Harvard (5-1) at Dartmouth (6-0), 1:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe (5-2) at Marshall (4-3), 3:30 p.m.
SOUTH
Stanford (2-6) at NC State (4-4), Noon
Duke (6-2) at Miami (8-0), Noon
Vanderbilt (5-3) at Auburn (3-5), 12:45 p.m.
Villanova (6-2) at Hampton (5-3), 1 p.m.
Dayton (5-2) at Presbyterian (3-6), 1 p.m.
St. Thomas (Minn.) (5-3) at Morehead St. (5-3), 1 p.m.
William & Mary (5-3) at NC A&T (1-7), 1 p.m.
Furman (2-5) at VMI (0-8), 1:30 p.m.
Lincoln University (CA) (0-1) at West Georgia (2-6), 2 p.m.
Campbell (3-5) at Elon (2-6), 2 p.m.
Towson (4-4) at Richmond (6-2), 2 p.m.
Gardner-Webb (2-6) at Charleston Southern (1-7), 2 p.m.
Tulsa (3-5) at UAB (1-6), 2:30 p.m.
Old Dominion (4-4) at Appalachian St. (3-4), 2:30 p.m.
Franklin said that Sutton has been in the training room the last two days, and he will go up to game time to determine if he will be available. But the depth certainly doesn’t seem to bother him.
“What I’m excited about is this team has shown everybody that they’re going to find ways to get the job done,” Franklin said. “We’re going to have to do that again this week against a really good team who’s extremely talented.”
Andy Stine can be reached at astine@ altoonamirror.com.
Lindenwood (Mo.) (4-5) at Tennessee Tech (3-5), 2:30 p.m.
Chattanooga (5-3) at W. Carolina (4-4), 2:30 p.m.
Wofford (3-5) at Samford (3-4), 3 p.m.
Southern U. (4-4) at Alabama A&M (3-4), 3 p.m.
ETSU (5-3) at Mercer (7-1), 3 p.m.
Prairie View (3-5) at MVSU (0-8), 3 p.m.
Grambling St. (4-4) at Bethune-Cookman (1-7), 3 p.m.
Ark.-Pine Bluff (3-5) at Jackson St. (6-2), 3 p.m.
Georgia (6-1) vs. Florida (4-3) at Jacksonville, Fla., 3:30 p.m.
North Carolina (4-4) at Florida St. (1-7), 3:30 p.m.
Arizona (3-5) at UCF (3-5), 3:30 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin (5-3) at Nicholls (4-4), 4 p.m.
Coastal Carolina (4-3) at Troy (1-7), 4 p.m.
Texas Southern (3-4) at Florida A&M (4-3), 4 p.m.
Umass (2-6) at Mississippi St. (1-7), 4:15 p.m.
Austin Peay (3-5) at North Alabama (3-6), 5 p.m.
Alabama St. (4-3) vs. Alcorn St. (4-4) at Mo-
bile, Ala., 5 p.m.
Until then, the Pac-12 will take whatever glory it can get. Right now, that’s Washington State’s season debut in The Associated Press poll.
The Cougars are No. 22 following their 29-26 win at San Diego State and 7-1 for the first time since the 2018 Mike Leach-Gardner Minshew team started 10-1 and finished 11-2.
Jack Dickert’s team is led by sophomore quarterback John Mateer, who brought the Cougars back from a 26-14 deficit with 13 minutes left against the Aztecs and also led fourth-quarter
UT Martin (5-3) at Tennessee St. (6-2), 6 p.m.
Louisville (5-3) at Clemson (6-1), 7:30 p.m.
Texas A&M (7-1) at South Carolina (4-3), 7:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern (5-3) at South Alabama (4-4), 7:30 p.m.
Kentucky (3-5) at Tennessee (6-1), 7:45 p.m.
Texas A&M Commerce (1-7) at McNeese St. (4-5), 8 p.m. MIDWEST
Toledo (5-3) at E. Michigan (5-3), Noon
Northwestern (3-5) at Purdue (1-6), Noon
Buffalo (4-4) at Akron (2-6), Noon
Minnesota (5-3) at Illinois (6-2), Noon
Stetson (2-5) at Butler (6-2), 1 p.m.
North Dakota (5-3) at Indiana St. (3-5), 1 p.m.
Marist (0-8) at Drake (5-1), 2 p.m.
Murray St. (1-7) at S. Dakota St. (6-2), 3 p.m.
W. Illinois (3-5) at E. Illinois (1-7), 3 p.m.
S. Illinois (2-6) at Missouri St. (6-2), 3 p.m.
Youngstown St. (3-6) at Illinois St. (5-3), 3 p.m.
Texas Tech (5-3) at Iowa St. (7-0), 3:30 p.m.
Washington State is playing eight opponents from the Mountain West and Oregon State is playing seven as part of a one-year scheduling agreement with that conference. Oregon State has lost three straight and is 4-4. The Cougars and Beavers were left to cobble together schedules for 2025 and will play each other twice next November.
Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State will leave the MWC to join the Pac-12 the following season. Gonzaga of the West Coast Conference will join as a non-football member.
N. Iowa (2-6) at N. Dakota St. (8-1), 3:30 p.m.
Oregon (8-0) at Michigan (5-3), 3:30 p.m.
UCLA (2-5) at Nebraska (5-3), 3:30 p.m.
Indiana (8-0) at Michigan St. (4-4), 3:30 p.m.
Wisconsin (5-3) at Iowa (5-3), 7:30 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
Memphis (7-1) at UTSA (3-5), Noon
Mississippi (6-2) at Arkansas (5-3), Noon Maine (4-4) at Oklahoma (4-4), 2:30 p.m.
Houston Christian (3-5) at Incarnate Word (6-2), 3 p.m.
The Associated Press
Penn State’s Drew Allar throws during the first half against Wisconsin on Saturday in Madison, Wis.
A November to remember may be coming
8 unbeatens remain atop college football as race to 12-team playoff heats up
By tim reynOldS
The Associated Press
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. —
None of the last eight unbeaten teams in major college football this season were unbeaten going into November last year. Or the year before that. Or the year before that.
Or in the decades before that, in some cases.
The last eight unbeatens: No. 1 Oregon (8-0), No. 3 Penn State (70), No. 5 Miami (8-0), No. 9 BYU (80), No. 11 Iowa State (7-0), No. 13 Indiana (8-0), No. 18 Pitt (7-0) and No. 21 Army (7-0).
“It can get real special,” Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. said after the Hurricanes beat Florida State on Saturday.
“We’ve just got to keep attacking,
go 1-0 every single week. On to the next.”
In the cases of Oregon, Penn State and maybe Miami, those starts aren’t necessarily surprising. With regard to everyone else on the list, yes, it’s fair to say most would be surprised. Of the eight teams, five were unranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. And three of the eight — Pitt, BYU and Indiana — weren’t even supposed to be in the top half of their conferences if preseason rankings are to be believed.
“It means everything,” Indiana offensive lineman Mike Katic said after the Hoosiers beat Washington to remain unbeaten and extend perhaps the best feel-good story in college football this fall.
“I love this place with my whole heart, and I’m so grateful for everyone in this program that has helped me get to where I am. I’m so proud of this team and these coaches for everything and breaking through and getting Indiana football back on top.”
See November/Page 12
The Associated Press
Penn State tight end Khalil Dinkins caught a touchdown pass in last week’s win at Wisconsin.
2024 PENN STATE ROSTER
#
0
1 Jaylen Reed S 6-0 209 Sr. Detroit, Mich. Martin Luther King
2 Liam Clifford WR 6-1 205 R-Jr. Maineville, Ohio St. Xavier
2 Kevin Winston Jr. S 6-2 205 Jr. Columbia, Md. DeMatha Catholic
3 Julian Fleming WR 6-2 206 Sr. Catawissa, Pa. Southern Columbia
3 Jalen Kimber CB 6-0 188 R-Sr. Merrillville, Ind. Mansfield Timberview
4 Tyseer Denmark WR 5-10 177 Fr. Philadelphia, Pa. Imhotep Charter
4 A.J. Harris CB 6-1 191 Soph. Phenix City, Ala. Central
5 Omari Evans WR 6-0 190 Jr. Killeen, Texas Shoemaker
5 Cam Miller CB 6-0 182 Jr. Fernandina Beach, Fla. Trinity Christian Academy
6 Harrison Wallace III WR 6-1 199 R-Jr. Montgomery, Ala. Pike Road
6 Zakee Wheatley S 6-2 200 R-Jr. Crofton, Md. Archbishop Spalding
7 Kaden Saunders WR 5-10 176 R-Soph. Columbus, Ohio Westerville South
7 Zion Tracy CB 5-11 183 Soph. Hempstead, N.Y. St. Thomas More (Conn.)
8 Tyler Johnson WR 6-0 185 R-Soph. Martinsville, Va. Magna Vista
8 DaKaari Nelson LB 6-3 217 R-Fr. Livingston, Ala. Selma
9 Beau Pribula QB 6-2 207 R-Soph. York, Pa. Central York
10 Dejuan Lane S 6-2 203 Fr. Jessup, Md. Gilman School
10 Nicholas Singleton RB 6-0 227 Jr. Shillington, Pa. Governor Mifflin
11 Abdul Carter DE 6-3 259 Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. La Salle College
12 Anthony Ivey WR 5-11 186 R-Soph. Lancaster, Pa. Manheim Township
12 Jon Mitchell CB 5-11 191 Fr. Jacksonville, Fla. Mandarin
13 Kaytron Allen RB 5-11 229 Jr. Norfolk, Va. IMG Academy
13 Tony Rojas LB 6-2 239 Soph. Fairfax, Va. Fairfax
14 Tyrece Mills S 6-1 209 R-Sr. Philadelphia, Pa. Northeast
14 Jaxon Smolik QB 6-1 204 R-Fr. Van Meter, Iowa Dowling Catholic
15 Drew Allar QB 6-5 238 Jr. Medina, Ohio Medina
15 Amin Vanover DE 6-4 268 Sr. Newark, N.J. St. Joseph’s
17
18
18
19
19
20
Archbishop Prendergast
21 Vaboue Toure S 6-1 212 Fr. Pleasantville, N.J. Irvington
23 Antoine Belgrave-Shorter CB 6-0 194 Fr. Jacksonville, Fla. Mandarin
24 Ta’Mere Robinson LB 6-3 230 R-Fr.
24
25
26
Montgomery County
27 Lamont Payne Jr. S 6-0 196 R-Fr. Carnegie, Pa. Chartiers Valley
28 Zane Durant DT 6-1 290 Jr. Lake Nona, Fla. Lake Nona
28 Karson Kiesewetter S 5-10 191 R-Fr. Altoona, Pa. Bishop Guilfoyle
29 Audavion Collins CB 5-11 178 R-Soph. Covington, Ga. Newton
30 Amiel Davis RB 6-0 214 R-Jr. Voorhees, N.J. Eastern Regional
30 Kari Jackson LB 6-1 246 Fr. West Bloomfield, Mich. West Bloomfield
31 Logan Cunningham WR 5-8 189 R-Soph. Belle Vernon, Pa. Belle Vernon
31 Kolin Dinkins S 6-2 203 R-Soph. Wexford, Pa. North Allegheny
32 Keon Wylie LB 6-2 213 R-Soph. Philadelphia, Pa. Imhotep Charter
33 Dani Dennis-Sutton DE 6-5 272 Jr. Millsboro, Del. McDonogh School (Md.)
34 Tyler Holzworth RB 6-0 221 R-Jr. Milford, N.J. Delaware Valley Regional
35 Blaise Sokach-Minnick LS 6-3 219 R-Soph. West Pittston, Pa. Wyoming Area
35 Tyler Armstead CB NA NA Fr. Canonsburg, Pa. Canon-McMillan
36 Zuriah Fisher DE 6-3 254 R-Sr. Aliquippa, Pa. Aliquippa
36 Feyisayo Oluleye WR 6-1 207 R-Sr. Lancaster, Pa. Bishop McDevitt
37 Beckham Dee LB 6-1 231 Fr. Pittsburgh, Pa. Mount Lebanon
38 Winston Yates LB 6-2 223 R-Fr. Moorestown, N.J. Paul VI
39 Ty Blanding DT 6-1 286 R-Fr. Bronx, N.Y. Christ The King
39 Jashaun Green S 6-1 171 R-Soph. State College, Pa. State College Area
40 Anthony Speca LB 6-1 230 Fr. Bridgeville, Pa. Pittsburgh Central Catholic
40 Patrick Williams S 6-0 197 R-Soph. Brooklyn, N.Y. Eagle Academy 2
41 Kobe King LB 6-1 251 R-Jr. Detroit, Mich. Cass Tech
42 Mason Robinson DE 6-3 245 R-Fr. Randallstown, Md. McDonogh School
43 Tyler Elsdon LB 6-2 232 Sr. Frackville, Pa. North Schuylkill
44 Jaylen Harvey DE 6-2 263 Fr. Gaithersburg, Md. Quince Orchard
44 Tyler Warren TE 6-6 257 Sr. Mechanicsville, Va. Atlee
45 Jackson Pryts LB 6-3 206 R-Soph. Hermitage, Pa. Hickory
47 Will Patton LS 6-4 245 R-Soph. New Castle, Pa. Shenango
47 Aidan Probst DE NA NA Fr. Erie, Pa. McDowell
48 Tyler Duzansky LS 6-4 217 R-Jr. Wheaton, Ill. St. Francis Prep
49 Ben Chizmar LB 6-0 224 R-Jr. Gibsonia, Pa. Mars Area
50 Cooper Cousins OL 6-6 315 Fr. Erie, Pa. McDowell
50 Alonzo Ford Jr. DT 6-2 319 R-Sr. Richmond, Va. Varina
51 Hakeem Beamon DT 6-3 285 R-Sr.+ Midlothian, Va. Manchester
52 Dominic Rulli OL 6-3 294 R-Soph. Burlington, Ky. The Taft School (Conn.)
53 Nick Dawkins OL 6-4 298 R-Sr. Allentown, Pa. Parkland
54 Xavier Gilliam DT 6-2 306 Fr. Montgomery Village, Md. Quince Orchard
54 Ian Harvie OL 6-2 256 R-Soph. Royersford, Pa. Spring-Ford
55 Chimdy Onoh OL 6-5 323 R-Fr. Baltimore, Md. Dundalk
56 Joseph Mupoyi DE 6-5 260 R-Fr. Kinshasa, DR of the Congo St. Thomas More (Conn.)
56 JB Nelson OL 6-5 327 R-Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa. Mount Lebanon
57 Donnie Harbour OL 6-3 329 Fr. Milwaukee, Wis. Catholic Memorial
58 Kaleb Artis DT 6-4 323 R-Soph. Westbury, N.Y. St. Francis Preparatory School
60 Logan Bahn OL NA NA Fr. Ramsey, N.J. Ramsey
61 Liam Horan OL NA NA Fr. Malvern, Pa. Malvern Prep
63 Alex Birchmeier OL 6-5 299 R-Fr. Ashburn, Va. Broad Run
64 Eagan Boyer OL 6-8 273 Fr. Cornelius, N.C. Hough
65 Jim Fitzgerald OL 6-7 311 R-Soph. Severna Park, Md. Archbishop Spalding
66 Drew Shelton OL 6-5 306 Jr. Downingtown, Pa. Downingtown West
67 Henry Boehme OL 6-5 283 R-Fr. Birmingham, Ala. Mountain Brook
68 Anthony Donkoh OL 6-5 336 R-Fr. Aldie, Va. Lightridge
70 Garrett Sexton OL 6-6 289 Fr. Hartland, Wis. Arrowhead Union
71 Olaivavega Ioane OL 6-4 346 R-Soph. Graham, Wash. Graham-Kapowsin
72 Nolan Rucci OL 6-8 317 R-Jr. Lititz, Pa. Warwick
73 Caleb Brewer OL 6-4 279 Fr. Reading, Pa. Wyomissing
74 J’ven Williams OL 6-5 306 R-Fr. Reading, Pa. Wyomissing
75 Matt Detisch OL 6-6 285 R-Soph. Mars, Pa. Mars Area
76 Mason Carlan OL 6-2 295 R-Sr. North Little Rock, Ark. North Little Rock
77 Sal Wormley OL 6-3 335 R-Sr.+ Newark, N.J. Smyrna (Del.)
79 Addison Penn OL 6-2 298 R-Sr. Southlake, Texas Carroll
80 Mehki Flowers WR 6-0 186 R-Soph. Harrisburg, Pa. Central Dauphin East
82 Ethan Black WR 5-9 175 R-Fr. Davidsville, Pa. Conemaugh Township
83 Jake Spencer WR 5-10 214 R-Sr. Gladwyne, Pa. Haverford School
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.
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PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
RECORD KEY PLAYERS
CONFERENCE: Big Ten
CONFERENCE RECORD: 4-0
OVERALL RECORD: 7-0
2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 31 at West Virginia W, 34-12
Sept. 7 Bowling Green W, 34-27
Sept. 21 Kent St. W, 56-0
Sept. 28 Illinois W, 21-7
Oct. 5 UCLA W, 27-11
Oct. 12 at USC W, 33-30 OT
Oct. 26 at Wisconsin W, 28-13
Nov. 2 Ohio St. Noon
Nov. 9 Washington 3:30 or 8
Nov. 16 at Purdue TBA
Nov. 23 at Minnesota TBA
Nov. 30 Maryland TBA
2024 SCHEDULE
Aug. 31 vs. Akron W, 52-6
Sept. 7 vs. W. Michigan W, 56-0
Sept. 21 vs. Marshall W, 49-14
Sept. 28 at Michigan St. W, 38-7
Oct. 5 vs. Iowa W, 35-7
Oct. 12 at Oregon L, 32-31
Oct. 26 vs. Nebraska W, 21-17
Nov. 2 at Penn St.
9 vs. Purdue
16 vs.
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
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Linebackers
Carlos Locklyn, Running backs
Tim Walton, Asst. HC/Secondary/Cornerbacks
BILL BETTWY’S STATE OF PSU
Week 10 conference standings
2024 PENN STATE STATISTICS
NOVEMBER: Cyclones off to best start since 1933 season
(Continued from Page 8)
Take away the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, and the last time Indiana was undefeated going into November was 1967. That 57-year wait is more than most on the list — but nothing compared with Iowa State. The last time the Cyclones were unbeaten going into November was during World War II; the last time they were unbeaten and untied this late into the calendar was 1938.
“The character of our team keeps showing up,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said after the Cyclones — who were off this weekend — rallied to beat UCF on Oct. 19. “You can say, boy, you really love this team in January and you can say, boy, I really love this team in spring ball. But I think the reality is that it is who they have grown to become in the offseason and as a football team. The leadership and the resolve just showcase themselves.”
No. 1 Oregon
Last time unbeaten entering November: 2013 (excludes 2020, when the Ducks were 0-0).
Regular-season games left: Saturday at Michigan, Nov. 9 vs. Maryland, Nov. 16 at Wisconsin, Nov. 30 vs. Washington.
Preseason pick: 3rd in
AP poll, 2nd in Big Ten.
Outlook: A pair of long trips still await, but there’s no ranked teams (as of now, anyway) left on the regular season schedule.
No. 3 Penn State
Last time unbeaten entering November: 2019.
Regular-season games
left: Saturday vs. No. 4 Ohio State, Nov. 9 vs. Washington, Nov. 16 at Purdue, Nov. 23 at Minnesota, Nov. 30 vs. Maryland.
Preseason pick: 8th in AP poll, 3rd in Big Ten. Outlook: A five-game November slate starts with the showdown against the Buckeyes, a game with Big Ten and playoff implications.
No. 5 Miami
Last time unbeaten entering November: 2017.
Regular-season games left: Saturday vs. Duke, Nov. 9 at Georgia Tech, Nov. 23 vs. Wake Forest, Nov. 30 at Syracuse.
Preseason pick: 19th in AP poll, 3rd in ACC.
Outlook: The Hurricanes haven’t faced a ranked team yet this season and almost certainly won’t this month, either.
No. 9 BYU
Last time unbeaten entering November: 2020.
Regular-season games left: Nov. 9 at Utah, Nov. 16 vs. Kansas, Nov. 23 at
Arizona State, Nov. 30 vs. Houston.
Preseason pick: Unranked in AP poll, 13th in Big 12.
Outlook: Off this week, and then the showdown in Salt Lake City awaits against the Utes. The trip to Arizona State will be tough as well.
No. 11 Iowa State
Last time unbeaten entering November: 1938 (not counting a 4-0-1 start in 1944).
Regular-season games left: Saturday vs. Texas Tech, Nov. 9 at Kansas, Nov. 16 vs. Cincinnati, Nov. 23 at Utah, Nov. 30 vs. No. 17 Kansas State.
Preseason pick: Unranked in AP poll, 6th in Big 12.
Outlook: A five-game November for the Cyclones as well, and the last two games on the slate might be the toughest.
No. 13 Indiana
Last time unbeaten entering November: 1967 (not counting a 2-0 start in 2020).
Regular-season games left: Saturday at Michigan State, Nov. 9 vs. Michigan, Nov. 23 at No. 4 Ohio State, Nov. 30 vs. Purdue.
Preseason pick: Unranked in AP poll, 17th in Big Ten.
Outlook: The surprise of America, perhaps. The Michigan rivals await the next two weeks, and then a potential showdown in Columbus might decide the Hoosiers’ Big Ten hopes.
No. 18 Pitt
Last time unbeaten entering November: 1982.
Regular-season games left: Saturday at No. 20 SMU, Nov. 9 vs. Virginia, Nov. 16 vs. No. 11 Clemson, Nov. 23 at Louisville, Nov. 30 at Boston College.
Preseason pick: Unranked in AP poll, 13th in the ACC.
Outlook: Pitt’s defense has been stellar, and it’ll be tested against SMU and Clemson. The Panthers have a chance in their hands.
No. 21 Army
Last time unbeaten entering November: 1996.
Regular-season games left: Saturday vs. Air Force. Nov. 9 vs. North Texas, Nov. 23 vs. No. 8 Notre Dame, Nov. 30 vs. UTSA, Dec. 14 vs. Navy.
Preseason pick: Unranked in AP poll, 5th in the American Athletic.
Outlook: Army has scored 42 or more points in each of its last four games. Big tests await but the offense looks legit.
