Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
JANUARY 2025/VOL. 40, NO. 5 MANAGING EDITOR Matt Herb CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stu Coman Cathy Jones Chris Riffer WEBSITE PUBLISHER Sean Fitz WEBSITE EDITOR Nate Bauer STAFF WRITER Greg Pickel RECRUITING REPORTER Ryan Snyder FOOTBALL ANALYST Thomas Frank Carr CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jim Carlson PHOTOGRAPHY Daniel Althouse, Frank Hyatt, Steve Manuel, Mark Selders COVER PHOTO Mark Selders/Penn State Athletics DESIGN Jeanette Blankenship Chris Miller F F F PUBLISHER Mark Panus BUSINESS ANALYST Sarah Boone CIRCULATION MANAGER Tristin Shears ADVERTISING SALES Maria Taustine (502) 552-4390 CUSTOMER SERVICE Lauren Gordon, Cathy Jones (800) 421-7751 BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED (USPS 742-550) is published monthly, except June, by Coman Publishing Co., a division of On3 Media, Inc., located at 905 W. Main St., Suite 24F, Durham, NC 27701. A one-year (11 issues) subscription is $68.00. First-class, digital and foreign rates available on request. Periodicals postage paid at Durham, NC 27701 and additional mailing offices. Printed by The Papers, Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Please send address correc- tions/changes to BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED, PO Box 2331, Durham NC 27702-2331. For advertising or subscription information call 1-919-688-0218 or write BLUE WHITE ILLUSTRATED, PO Box 2331, Durham NC 27702. Site Lines C O M M E N T S F R O M T H E L I O N S D E N A T B L U E W H I T E I L L U S T R A T E D . C O M W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ON PENN STATE'S UPCOMING PLAYOFF MATCHUP AGAINST SMU Much better landing spot than I predicted. And favorable opponents. Can James Franklin win his first CFP game? — Stephen Light I don't think this is like Memphis in the Cotton Bowl [in 2019] where it's a finesse passing team with a stationary QB and undersized front seven and it was obvious we could run at will. SMU has a legit mobile QB, a good RB and players on the defensive line. Playing at Beaver Stadium in this weather is a different beast, but I don't think they will be completely overwhelmed. Big game for Tom Allen. — psu08 If the D plays like it did against Oregon, it could be a very long afternoon. Tom Allen better come up with a better game plan than rush three and use Abdul Carter as a spy. PSU has to get pressure from its front four. SMU can ball a little bit. PSU needs to take them seriously. — TeddyBallGamius I doubt SMU's quarterback is going to make the quick decisions that Dillon Gabriel made [in the Big Ten Championship Game]. Dude knew where to throw it ASAP. And he got out of trouble QUICKLY many times. I doubt this OL is anywhere near as good as Oregon's. I like the matchup for us. — Psujosh21 SMU is extremely fast and has a big, fast defensive line. Their coach is already thinking they can make it to the semifinals as well. Franklin better be on top of our coaches, especially Tom Allen. Our crowd must make [SMU quarterback] Kevin Jennings unable to hear himself even think. This is going to be a dogfight that our defensive line must win. — Spice67 I agree that PSU has perhaps the easiest path to the championship game. Gotta win the next one! Hav- ing said that, I somewhat disagree that Oregon and others are getting screwed thanks to a top seeding. As much as I am looking forward to being in Beaver Stadium for that first home playoff game, I would have preferred that PSU won [the Big Ten championship] and had a bye with the winner of Ohio State/Tennessee in the wings at the Rose Bowl. I'm sure many will disagree, but you get extra rest, extra prep time. ... Regardless, the path is set and I'm looking forward to the first game! Go State! Beat SMU! — pennstater97 With all due deference to our fellow fans, I am not concerned about how they care/feel about the weather. I want it COLD for SMU, which will slow them down somewhat. — VaLion92 ON PENN STATE'S 45-37 LOSS TO OREGON IN THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME It goes to show that PSU is oh so close and needs a few more elite pieces so that we can win without having to be near-perfect. — lyndj I was frustrated in the moment, but I feel really good. For the first time in a very long time, it looked like Penn State was the No. 2 team in the country falling short against the absolute No. 1 team in the country. Very similar to how I felt watching Alabama vs. Georgia a few years ago. Just ultra-high-level football from both teams. — LeFennecFox Where the *bleep* was that offense all year? I'm a pris- oner of the moment (almost 24 hours later), but man, last night felt different. — JRPSU If you had told me before the game that Oregon would score 45, I would have said we'd get blown out. Conversely, if you told me we'd score 37 I'd have been confident we'd win. Strangely encouraged is a good way to put it. — CFett This is the big-game offense I've been hoping for for years. Question is … will it be there for SMU, or do we revert back to trying to win a slugfest as a favorite? It'll be interesting to see. Just booked Fiesta Bowl travel, but it's all refundable, so I don't consider that jinx worthy. — 432PSU 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 Running back Kaytron Allen rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown against Oregon, but the Nittany Lions' rally fell short in the Big Ten title game. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS