Evening Games Thread.

Submitted by Clarence Boddicker on September 2nd, 2023 at 7:17 PM

Penn State is on tap with a white out vs. West Virginia, a nice little rivalry game. Plus UNC vs The Other USC.

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Hoek

September 2nd, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^

I want to see PSU struggle. MSU beat one of the worst Mac teams, OSU beat a bad Indiana team, looks like they are trying to be more running and tough up front, but them in the ass 2-14 on 3rd down? Michigan just rolled! 

Joined: 01/29/2010

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S.G. Rice

September 2nd, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^

Big fan of YTTV's multi-game thing - currently have 7 games up on 2 screens (for some reason Houston-UTSA is on both).  It would be nice if you could choose the games individually, but that's a minor nit.

If there are games I'm missing it might be necessary to throw them on a third screen.

Joined: 07/18/2008

MGoPoints: 23227

BKBlue94

September 2nd, 2023 at 7:42 PM ^

Think I want PSU to win this one. Would be different if it was a conference game, but I think the third best team in the conference losing to WV would be a pretty big hit to the Big Ten's reputation.

Plus unlike MSU or OSU, I don't really have any animosity towards PSU

Joined: 12/22/2021

MGoPoints: 4778

stephenrjking

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:07 PM ^

I'm mixed here. I'm usually a "it's good for us if our opponents win" type, and that's definitely true objectively. B1G got two in the playoff last year and key leverage games like PSU beating Auburn played a big part in that. 

On the other hand Franklin is annoying, they get hype every few years because they're Penn State, and we do compete with them for recruits. 

I mainly care about the game we play against them. So significant signs that they're beatable are welcome even if the result turns out to be a win. See: Indiana-OSU this afternoon.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143928

Jordan2323

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:04 PM ^

He seems shifty, not particularly fast. He is aware and sidesteps the trouble but doesn’t have a lot of top end speed to pick up very many yards. Saw that on the last drive when someone went past him and he took off and got caught by the same guy. He looks comfortable overall though. 

Joined: 11/09/2013

MGoPoints: 48921

stephenrjking

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:04 PM ^

Allar had that nice scramble and TD pass, but early returns aren't great. Nothing but screens and downfield pass routes that he refuses to throw and scrambles instead. 

Until that last play where he shuffled, threw, and almost got picked. 

 

Joined: 03/15/2012

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stephenrjking

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^

You mean JJ his freshman year? Because last year JJ started the second game and was basically perfect, winning the job over Cade instantly. 

I could accept the freshman JJ argument very easily. Unfortunately for PSU (if he remains meh, for all I know he's about to go Doug Williams on us), he's a sophomore and they don't have Cade McNamara available to start while he gets ready. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

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GLORY

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:10 PM ^

Chip Kelly's starting R-FR Ethan Garbers over Dante Moore. 

I can't see Moore sticking around given that Garber has the same amount of eligibility remaining.

Joined: 06/12/2021

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stephenrjking

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^

First game caveats are huge, every year. For us and for everyone else. Georgia's only up 17-0 over UT Martin in the third! Nobody believes that *they* are frauds.

But it's nice to see them struggle, and sometimes there are telling ways that those struggles occur. OSU not throwing for 400 yards against Indiana seems significant; Drew Allar struggling to execute the designed passing game could be significant, if it persists all game (it's still the first quarter, very early here). 

On the other hand, some teams just take a bit to get their feet under them. Mark Dantonio MSU teams regularly looked pretty mediocre in their first games before turning into monsters. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143928

Kentucky.maize

September 2nd, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^

I am mostly meaning they do not look like a title contender or that they can’t be a solid team. I think Georgia deserves a pass given the last few years, PSU doesn’t get that leeway when evaluating them in my opinion. I think the MSU comparison is fine but after looking mediocre they never really turned into a true title contender.

Joined: 12/07/2021

MGoPoints: 5835

stephenrjking

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^

That coverage breakdown was bizarre.

BTW every time I see Michigan get frustrated by 8-man fronts charging into the backfield (even when, as today, we adjust just fine) I get more and more perplexed that Manny Diaz played two-high for the whole game against us last year. I really, really hope he does that again. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143928

Phaedrus

September 2nd, 2023 at 9:48 PM ^

I think we're in the perfect "pick your poison" position. Today ECU picked to die by the pass. Send in those 8-man fronts and Roman Wilson and Colston Loveland will each only have to beat a single man.

I think the 8-man fronts charging at the line just provide moral victories because it looks better when you blow up a bunch of plays. But then we throw a bunch of bombs to make up for it. McCarthy is just too accurate this year, Wilson is too fast, and Loveland is too good.

Loveland and Wilson are going to force teams to play zone or, at the least, man with two high safeties (or one safety high and the other bracketing Loveland). At least with bend-don't-break you force the offense to make a lot of plays, and every play has the potential of being a fatal mistake. Of course, they go bend-don't-break we hand it off to our running backs.

Basically. . .we're OSU under Meyer (on the field). You can't overplay the run or the pass or things get ugly fast.

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