Michigan 24, Penn State 15
Any thoughts that Penn State could win this one quickly evaporated in a second-half show of incompetence at the quarterback position and on the sidelines. It was just my imagination running away with me to think that they could continue to hang in there as they did in the first half. (No offense to The Temptations — I just pulled that song title out of my ass).
Well, THAT sucked. Penn State showed up looking like they were ready, except that they weren’t. I’ll put their failure 55% on Allar, 40% on Franklin, and 5% on miscellaneous factors. The game could have been won, but we know that without the ability to throw the ball, it was not winnable.
Penn State had some modest success with the running game, but relying on it to get out of a deep hole is not geterally a succesful strategy. At first, I thought they were smart “estabishing the run”, but then, I realized what was going on. They were afraid that Allar would suck as badly as he did.
First Turnover Loses
In a tight, defensive game, the first turnover is a huge thing. So, when Allar coughed it up on a brilliant fourth down conversion, the Nittany Lions essentially handed the game to the Wolverines. Then, late in the fourth quarter, dumbass calls sealed Penn State’s coffin.
“It’s only fair,” said the guy on the bus, “Harbaugh couldn’t coach, so Franklin didn’t coach either.” Sure looked like he wanted to give the game away in the fourth quarter — all the way up to the time that he didn’t have to.
I won’t talk about errant throws, missed catches, lack of awareness (as in intentional grounding), and stupid flea-flickers. You saw it all. And, of course, fourth down balls over brains play calling reared its ugly head at just the right moment to seal the deal in desperation time. Repeat after me: It suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks!
Shake Off the Last Drop
Now, they must regroup and shake off yet another Franklin Era emotional loss that everyone expected, just in time for a battle with Rutgers and a season finale against Moo U. the night after Thanksgiving. But now that they’re out of the playoff and B10 championship pictures, we here in Orlando will be happy to see our Nittany Lions and their big spending fans back here for the Citrus Bowl. Or they could fall apart and lose to Rutgers and wind up in the vaunted Toilet Bowl in Kohler, Wisconsin — an exciting winter wonderland in late December, where you can freeze your ass while watching a pedestrian bowl game. And nobody will give a shit.
It will be like watching the Rutgers-Iowa game, currently 3-0 favor of Idontcarewho as the first half approaches a merciful conclusion.
And so, the James Franklin mystique continues to disappoint.
I’ll be back midweek between doctor appointments to spew some more well earned vitriol about Penn State’s lousy offense.
