Gameday Observations: Nebraska
Penn State football battled Nebraska for the first time since 2017 this weekend…and it didn’t go too well.
The Nittany Lions ultimately fell to the Cornhuskers 30-23, plummeting to an abysmal 0-4 record and becoming the lone winless Big Ten team.
Although the Xs and Os might’ve made you want to gouge your eyes out, it wasn’t all bad. Here are a few amusing things we noticed from the couch, computer, and (virtual) tailgate lots.
Penn State Shows Love For Journey Brown
Last Wednesday, running back Journey Brown announced he’d need to retire from football due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare and potentially fatal condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick.
Penn State fans were quick to share their love and support for Brown online. Unsurprisingly, his teammates displayed their own outpouring of affection Saturday, too.
The team began the day by hanging Brown’s No. 4 jersey in the locker room — a touching tribute for a player who remains an integral leader and voice among the Nittany Lions.
Later on, freshman running back Keyvone Lee hit paydirt on a 31-yard touchdown in the third quarter to pull Penn State within two scores. After driving into the end zone, he quickly held up No. 4 in Brown’s honor.
James Franklin Seeing Double
Here at Onward State, when your favorite team is sitting in the Big Ten’s basement and light years away from mediocrity, you need to settle for laughing at the little things in life. Naturally, our favorite “little thing” is James Franklin’s frequent glasses changes.
Franklin began the day in his iconic aviators to help counteract the bright Nebraska sun. Quite honestly, the Terminator called, and he wants his look back.
Later on, though, Franklin swapped his shades for wireframes in the third quarter and adorned his traditional spectacles.
James Franklin swaps out the aviators for the glasses
— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) November 14, 2020pic.twitter.com/5mTG0VflCl
Franklin’s big swap came as the Nittany Lions nearly completed a comeback effort to defeat the Cornhuskers. This begs the question…Are Franklin’s glasses the key to Penn State’s success? Would the team be 4-0 if he never wore those damn sunglasses? Stay tuned for more developments in this pressing and totally legitimate investigation.
Announcers Can’t Say ‘Freiermuth’
FS1’s Brian Custer and Robert Smith couldn’t consistently pronounce Pat Freiermuth’s name all afternoon long, and some Penn State fans quickly took notice. The duo consistently added an “S” in the star tight end’s surname, which certainly irked viewers at home.
Luckily, Freiermuth wasn’t affected. He hauled in seven passes for a season-high 113 yards and likely would’ve wound up with a score had he not been tripped up on this 74-yard play.
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