Analyst suggests Penn State is saving its best game for Ohio State

Following the Illinois game, it was clear what the Nittany Lions are capable of when issues are cleaned up on offense and defense. But we can all agree that by no means was it Penn State football at its best. CBS Sports Analyst Josh Pate would agree with that assessment and even suggested on Sunday evening that Penn State could be holding its best for Ohio State in November.

Every game you have to think is this Penn State football at its best? Or are they saving more in the tank for when they play the toughest opponents on its schedule such as USC and Ohio State? Defensively it’s tricky to hide scheme from game to game.

But offensively Andy Kotelnicki has something new in his bag of tricks each week. But have we seen the peak of the 2024 season? Josh Pate doesn’t think so and he went into detail about this on the Sunday evening episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show.

“Penn State 21-7 over Illinois,” Josh Pate said. “Padlock stat, 5.4 yards per carry for Penn State, 1.1 yards per carry for Illinois, that’s it. And they had White Out Energy yesterday which is not to be confused with the White Out. Which they can only have one of those a year due to a rule they have with the NHL…

“This was old-school Penn State, man. They ran for 239, defense shut Illinois down after the opening drive. They had seven sacks, 13 tackles for loss. Penn State didn’t cover because no one likes covering more than James Franklin does. But in the end a good solid win. You still have not seen Penn State’s best game. If you’ve watched them you know that their best game is still out there. Are they saving it for Ohio State? I wouldn’t cause they play USC before that, but still.”

Penalties continued to creep into the night

Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

For most of James Franklin’s tenure in Happy Valley the Nittany Lions have been known for playing clean football. Not many mental lapses or issues with undisciplined football. But for whatever reason during the 2024 season penalties continue to be an issue for Penn State. Something that James Franklin addressed following the Illinois game.

“Again, you guys have heard me say before, the ones I struggled with is, right now, we got a reputation for jumping offsides,” Franklin said Saturday night. Five of the Nittany Lions’ six penalties were on defense, two of which were offsides. “And they [opponents] know it, and they’re going to keep doing it until we get cleaned up.

“So that’s got to happen. And the reality is, as good as we played, as good as we played, we made it a lot harder than it needs to be with silly penalties. And that’s all me, like this whole yelling at the kids, that’s on me and us as coaches. We got to provide more discipline all the time, not just punitive penalties when they jump offsides.

“Being more disciplined by how they are in meetings, how they sit up, how they take notes, all of that. And I believe the more discipline that we have off the field will transfer on the field. And that’s my job ultimately.”

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