Penn State vs. West Virginia: Big Noon Showdown - Key Moments and Expert Analysis

[Music] the irrational confidence podcast the Penn State nney lions are traveling to one of our personal favorite locations morgant toown West Virginia where we recently found out folks it is illegal to burn couches in Morgan town but for just a low low cost of $350 you can buy a candle in the shape of a couch and burn that because there's no rule about burning candles the Mountaineers are going face the nitty Lions Penn State another road favorite here fresh lot of Road favorites that's interesting to me Penn State timer record is an eight and a half Point favorite fresh what you got for the nitty Lions versus the Mountaineers can James Franklin win big games that's the first thing we have to look at can James Franklin win big games there's a lot of talent from this Penn State team especially in a defense that's no longer there guys got drafted last year where's that next layer of Penn State players we know they have they recruit very well top 10 recruiting passes every year where's that next layer player that's going to show up in this first game up in you know Morgantown against a feisty aggressive upstart upand cominging West Virginia football team you got great play last year West Virginia really wasn't there at the time they were kind of like still getting a feeling for themselves and they were able and they were at home now you're on the road against team has confidence they found their footing between Garrett green white and Donaldson the two running backs that way there allows them to build off of that know they can compete with you who's going to stand up for the M Lin you got two great running backs I I'm still on on Drew um you lost you know fat now the offensive lineman who's going to be able to step up B line there Julian Fleming comes in from Penn State to play receiver when was the last time we had a big time Penn State wide receiver Allan Robinson mayy it's been a while um but where's this offense going to come from and add an extra layer because if right now if this West Virginia Defense can tackle and they can pop you at the line of scrimmage it maybe make it for rough afternoon where you're stucking yourself in a in in a hornet sest the clock is going to move fast in this ball game because both teams have great running backs a great collection kind of like two law firms actually wrote down you got the law firms of donton and white for Singleton and out um the clock going to move quickly you're going to turn the clock defense are going to get worn out you're not going to get many possessions if that's happening so you've got to find ways to punch it in and score and be physical and announce your dominance Penn State you are Penn State everyone's talking about your playoff team you know dark Big 10 Champion Contender um every single year but you never win the big games this is a big game you're on the road all eyes are on you can you get it down you don't have to be ugly doesn't have to be pretty to be ugly just got to get a win James Franklin how have you evolved as a head coach what have you done this off season after last year because you know what you had your game ver Michigan you lost you had your game Ohio State you lost you had your game Old Miss You Lost with three big games last year you lost this is your first one here to redeem yourself or we going to get the same R Trad every single time you beat everybody else in the league you play your tough teams you lose you're nine and three you're 10- two you get to go to great ball game because Michigan Ohio State both to the playoffs show me something please you're a l this is your third year a starter it's time for you to start growing up and leading this offense they can't just to be the two running backs you've got to start taking over making big boy throws you know Mi uh mle was there Clifford was there they had quarterbacks that got the job done somehow you you still haven't got it done yet we're waiting for it to become a we're waiting for you to show up and be the guy and wear it on your back if that doesn't happen in this ball game I think there be certain Whispers of is he our really quarterback is this guy actually get to a big 10 title in the playoff do we actually trust him um you've got to show up here on Saturday afternoon in a hostile environment and find ways to win the football game even it's a big third down pass here or there running off play action making key throws you don't have to throw for 400 yards but You' got to make the big boy throws to get the chains moving and to put points on the board if you don't how are you expect to do it versus any else the season gets tougher you have to play Oregon you're have to play Wisconsin down the road as well as Ohio State you've got to find ways to grow up and figure it out when I look at this ball game outside that the defense AJ Harris the big time her recruit of Georgia transfers up there to Penn State now he's goingon lock down one of the sides of the field how is these transfers he's one of many that are joining this pen defense how fast are they jail how fast do they get on the same page under Tom Allen's defense if they're ready to rock and roll and have the communication down they'll be okay if there's some issues that secondary issues in linebackers guys not being on the same page you're going to start see gaps in the defense and things are going to start unraveling pretty quickly AJ Harris is a solid player if he can lock down one side of the field it's going to help them the Aline defense and help them get back to on they really should be the other side gar green this might be actually your biggest game you actually should you know start kind of working through it but now the pressure is on you the eyes are on you expectations are there we have you in our top 30 can you show up and get the job done with expectations of being contending team and actually showing playing in a high level and contending for a title or being an outlier dark horce for a playoff side this is your chance to Showcase and get it done I'm really intrigued to how you do that you have a great athletic ability I want to see how you take it to the next level against a very elite defense that you're Canna see right here on Saturday afternoon um it it's is going to be a fun ball game I think we're gonna be very limited in points but time pretty high I'm gonna go ahead I'm gonna say West Virginia wins 24 to 20 um I just don't trust Penn State in a big game I think West Virginia the home crowd will extra juice they're gonna find a way to get a touchdown late and shock Penn State and we're gon to go let's go Mountaineers let's go drink some beers fresh is by one of those candles shaped as a couch his apartment or his condo complex will love that when it's burning outside put out there in the parking lot right perfect fresh you hit a bunch of great stuff there that I I agree with on it as well I'm asking a lot of questions about the Penn State Defense and especially can they show and take over a game outside of the two running backs because I will say this I think West Virginia obviously most teams in college football will have a difficult time stopping Singleton and Allen together like you have to kind of stem the tide and make sure one of those guys just doesn't go off and have a day and almost you want to force Drew allar to beat you and Julian Fleming not probably the best wide receiver they've had in like three or four years but again is he going to be the product of where he was a good wide receiver as like the second or third guy for Ohio State or is he a great rde wide receiver in his own right we will find that answer in a game like this that question is still out there as for West Virginia everything you talked about there fresh green Donaldson white ALS remember guy like Hudson Clement love that kid only a red shirt sophomore that kid could be definitely a game changer for them also they bring in Bray from Oklahoma State again it's going to be which one of these teams can stop the other guy and then just completely dominate the line of scrimmage on when they're on offense that's who's going to win this football game I'm excited for this game like this is this is a noon kick on Saturday I know that it's the same time as a game that's happening down in Atlanta so you're going to have to be flipping back and forth between this I be flipping between of all I'll watch them ticker yeah I am going to be this is going to be the real game that I am excitedly locked in on and cannot wait to see because this is going to be a fun time down there in morgant town I am 100% with you here fresh let's go Mountaineers let's go drink some beers I don't know if if West Virginia wins this I expect the entire Mountaineer fan base that is of age to go full on Stone Cold Steve Aus and take two two smash them together and enjoy yourself there I love this Mountaineers team man I think they're winning 28 to 21 in this football game I think you're right it's G to it won't be decided into the fourth quarter but Garrett green who says he really looked up to a college player by the name of Johnny Manzel wins it with his legs in this game and I think that West Virginia and people are going to be saying why in the world did anyone uh pick Penn State kind of like like we talked about with Georgia Tech and Florida State people gets kind of in those Shadows there West Virginia this is a really good football team if West Virginia wins Pat McAfee will be epic TV it'll be what what he what he could do on live TV or or his show would be a point television for everyone would be pretty dang hilarious oh absolutely fantastic but what if Penn State does lose the heat that's on James Franklin we've got start having that conversation um because again it's another high-profile game that he does not win um that can really become his undoing where you recruit great but you don't get it done on the field when it matters uh we'll see what happens on Saturday but this is actually a big thing for Penn State if you look at the name it's Penn State well your Penn State by the name right now you're 10 and two every single year are they falling into that Mark Rick Georgia level where 10 and two is great but when are you going to start winning the Big 10 yeah