A video released by Penn State's Athletic Department after the famous 2016 Ohio State game that kick-started the program's revival from the sanction era showed Coach Franklin exhorting his team at halftime: "Opportunity is knocking." Eight years and zero wins over the Buckeyes later, opportunity is knocking again. This weekend, everything and the kitchen sink from the world of college football converges on Happy Valley, from two national pregame shows to a future Hall of Fame center (but no former Presidents). With the eyes of the world on a battle of 3 versus 4 inside Beaver Stadium, can the Nittany Lions kick an already-entertaining season into an entirely new gear, at once reframing the narratives around two head coaches, both their own and their opponent's, by finally, FINALLY defeating Ohio State? We'll know the answer soon enough. Until then, we're left to speculate about player health, debate the meaning of this matchup in the 12-team playoff era, and decide which coach is actually feeling the most pressure on a Saturday that will shape the remainder of the season.

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

They called it a trap game. They said the Nittany Lions were vulnerable. They questioned our offense and dismissed our defense. But when the lights came on at Camp Randall, both units - each of them thriving in their own way this season under new coordinators - played complementary football, containing, and eventually bludgeoning, the Badgers. Even an injury at the most important position on the field couldn't slow this team on a mission, as Beau Pribula conjured memories of another Number 9 in relief of Drew Allar. Is all the "nobody believed in us" rhetoric a little over the top? You bet. But if Kirby Smart can get away it, so can we. Chris, Kevin, and Mailman break down the aftermath of Penn State's win over Wisconsin. We'll be back later in the week with a look ahead to Ohio State.

HOSTED BY: Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

James Franklin and the Nittany Lions got the coveted, elusive, statement-making win they so desperately needed by defeating USC... or so it seemed. The Trojans' College Park Collapse over Penn State's Bye Week underscored the point that if the program is to make its first appearance in the college football playoff, then the team must keep stacking wins as the favorite. Another challenging road test awaits PSU when they travel to Madison for a night game against the Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium. Chris and Kevin tackle this week's show on their own, recapping Kev's trip to the West Coast for the memorable Lions win and looking ahead to a game with the barely discernible aura of a potential trap. Will Coach Franklin buck the trend and improve his sketchy record coming off the Bye? Grab your pencil and your paper.

HOSTED BY: Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

It may take an extra bus trip to Harrisburg to get there, but the road date everybody circled on Penn State's 2024 schedule is finally upon us. Conference expansion has delivered the first-ever meeting of the Nittany Lions and Trojans as Big Ten foes, and even though USC's upset loss at the hands of Minnesota drained the contest of much of its fanfare, the stakes for Old State are unchanged. As top-ranked teams topple all around the them, the imperative for Penn State remains to survive and advance, to go 1-0 each week. Can the Lions set themselves up for a stretch run that ends in the playoffs? Can James Franklin begin to shake the stigma that he can't win when it matters the most? We ponder these questions and more ahead of Penn State vs. USC at the L.A. Coliseum. Grab your pencil and your paper.

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

Well, "Bert" asked, and Nittany Nation answered. Penn State fans and media may have taken some liberties with the context around Bret Bielema's, "White Out Energy, whatever the hell that means," quotation, up to and including a passive-aggressive screening of a carefully-edited clip of it on the Beaver Stadium Jumbotron before kickoff. But find your fuel, right? When the Lions most needed their support, the raucous crowd intervened to impact the Illinois game at critical moments. The guys talk about the evolution of the Beaver Stadium vibe, the 1994 team returning to Happy Valley on Homecoming, and the almost shocking degree to which UCLA currently stinks at football.

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

One mild upset in Lincoln and suddenly Penn State's Homecoming is set up for clash of nationally-ranked unbeatens under the Beaver Stadium lights that has fans calling for an impromtu and unofficial second "White Out" - a game that will surely have national viewers tuning in during the Georgia/Alabama commercial breaks.

The University is also set to recognize the 1994 Big Ten Champion Nittany Lions. With an offense that may have been the most potent in the sport's history, the team certainly ranks among State's all-time best, featuring legendary stars like Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter, Kyle Brady, and Bobby Engram along with a punishing offensive line that devastated everyone in their path. We took the opportunity for our own Brandon Noble, a sophomore defensive lineman pressed into early service on that team, to swap stories about that season with his friend and teammate Keith "Goon" Conlin. Specifically, the guys focus on that team's comeback on the road against Illinois that has taken on an almost mythological quality.

Paraphrasing ourselves from before Obligatory's last '94 retrospective, for the team's silver anniversary: "For those who experienced it, it's hard to believe [30] years have passed since that special Autumn in Happy Valley. Enjoy this insider's look back at a time when the Lions ruled the sport like few before or since."

AND WEAR WHITE ON SATURDAY!

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike Herr, Chris Buchignani

GUEST: Keith Conlin

During the dull offseason months when football-starved fans obsess over such things, many observers noted a conspicuous flaw in the final version of Penn State's 2024 schedule (not to be confused with the several other interim versions that came and went thanks to the ever-expanding ranks of the Big Ten). A bye week in only the third week of the season seemed less than ideal - too early in the year and sandwiched between two nothing opponents, it appeared neither useful for recovery nor as preparation for a big game. As it turns out, we were probably wrong about that. After a difficult outing against Bowling Green revealed the flaws of a team breaking in three new coordinators and a key player, leader, and team captain in K.J. Winston was bitten by the injury bug, the early off-week now feels like a Godsend for the team to retool and regroup. Not so for those us in the media world however. With only two games in the books, both of which have already been analyzed to death, filling time becomes a challenge. We'll do our best though!

Grab your pencil and your paper, it's the Obligatory PSU Podcast.

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

In retrospect, perhaps it was inevitable: the season-opening road trip, the convincing win over a team and fanbase that talked a big game and couldn't back it up, the sleepy noon kickoff time, the unintimidating competition. Each of these factors combined to render all of Penn State, from the players and coaches on the field to their loyal supporters in the stands, completely unprepared for the concussive opening salvos fired by the fearless Falcons of Bowling Green. Fans expecting to see the third team by the third quarter were instead "treated" to an unwanted afternoon of suspense, as a MAC opponent of modest accomplishment took the nation's number eight team to the brink. So how do we feel? Are we wringing our hands over the outrage that was Penn State's first-half defensive performance, a visible-from-outer-space dumpster fire for the ages? Or do we take a cue from Coach Franklin and stress gratitude for the chance to learn and improve while escaping with a win?

Let's get into it. Grab your pencil and your paper, it's the Obligatory PSU Podcast.

HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani