The Obligatory PSU Podcast

Can Penn State break through for a college football playoff appearance? If not, what does it mean for the fan experience? Is the modern playoff format helping or hurting the sport?

Show Notes

There's something to be said for 5 to 15 in the college football rankings as the most miserable, polarizing, and frustrating zone to inhabit in all of sports. Your team is recruiting well, developing talent, winning lots of games (into the double digits near-annually), and regularly playing in top tier bowl games. Your squad occupies a position that would be the envy of 90% of fans in the sport, and yet a large segment of yours are perpetually cranky, ready to fire the coach, and even consider their team to be a "failure." This is the unforgiving reality of the playoff era, where every team with a legit shot at the final four ratchets up the pressure with each year it fails to get there. You can call it "a good problem to have" (and you'd probably be right), but Penn State is lucky enough to face this "problem." The guys use the respite of the offseason to dig into implications of this paradox - for the Nittany Lions and all of college football.

Articles referenced in this episode:

10 CFB teams most ready to break through for a national title: https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-football-teams-national-championship-drought--147742149/

Updated 4-year recruiting rankings for all 130 teams, where the SEC completely dominates: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2019/2/7/18215228/college-football-recruiting-rankings-2019-class

College football teams with the most NFL draft picks since 2000: https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2020-04-27/college-football-teams-most-nfl-draft-picks-2000


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

What is The Obligatory PSU Podcast?

The Obligatory PSU Podcast features wide-ranging discussions of Penn State sports, Nittany Lions football in particular, and all things Penn State and Happy Valley from the cast of The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Former Penn State and NFL defensive lineman Brandon Noble (’92-97), campus icon Mike “the Mailman” Herr, Mount Nittany Conservancy Board Secretary Kevin Horne, and seven-time Sam's Club Member Chris Buchignani. Along with a rotating cast of characters from around State College and across Nittany Nation, the guys focus on the stories, issues, and personalities surrounding the Blue and White fan experience.

The Obligatory PSU Podcast delivers fun and insightful commentary on the teams, University, and place that are beloved by many thousands of students, alumni, and fans. There’s no pretense of objectivity or “journalistic” distance here; these guys are here because they care, and their Penn State knowledge and love shine through in every installment. The goal is to touch on a broad variety of topics relating to the Nittany Lions in conversations that are frequently funny and occasionally profound, all while enjoying a few (or more) adult beverages. If you’ve got Penn State in your blood, you’ll enjoy sharing the journey with us.