Take a deep breath, folks.

Penn State football is still well below .500, but the Nittany Lions have won a football game.

With the first win of the season in the rearview after Saturday’s trip to Ann Arbor, a lot of people still don’t know what to make of James Franklin’s group. The Nittany Lions finally looked like a solid football team, but it’s also well-known that Michigan isn’t very good, either.

With a lot to unpack and a trip to Rutgers on the horizon, our staff decided to break down some of this week’s hottest takes surrounding Penn State football.

‘Penn State Can Win Out’

Sam Brungo: NOT an overreaction. Penn State is back. Rutgers, Michigan State, and Big Ten West team TBD stand no chance…

Now that I got my initial excitement from Penn State’s first win out of the way, I do believe the Nittany Lions could do this. Three games, win out, it is very possible. I have said this all along, Penn State is not a bad football team. The Nittany Lions have been riddled with injuries and couldn’t find that first win. Now that they have, I think they will win out.

Gabe Angieri: This isn’t an overreaction. However, it’s also possible the Nittany Lions lose the rest of their games. With just two games left on the regular-season schedule, it’s entirely possible for Penn State to play as it did against Michigan and win the rest of its games. If James Franklin’s team plays as it did the first five games, a 1-7 regular season is a legitimate possibility. No matter how you cut it, it’s hard to be confident with either opinion. 

Ryan Parsons: Why not? Penn State certainly isn’t a bad team at its core. Sure, the Nittany Lions have been faced with their fair share of adversity, but somewhere, deep down, there’s a good football team in Happy Valley (maybe). Perhaps it was just a matter of making things click and Penn State will be able to ride this momentum against Rutgers and Michigan State. It’s also just as likely that the Michigan game was a fluke and the 2020 Penn State team we all know and love hate will be back.

Will Pegler: I have to agree with Sam’s sentiment here. The Nittany Lions are not a bad football team, but that’s exactly what’s so frustrating about them. Other than Ohio State, Penn State played against teams that they absolutely should’ve beaten (including No. 10 Indiana), and it can absolutely beat Rutgers and Michigan State, too. Will it? Your guess is as good as mine. Let’s just say each game will probably be ugly in some shape or form.

‘Keyvone Lee Is The Future’

SB: I’m not sure that he is THE future, but he definitely is going to be a large part of it. The kid is a stud. He has shown gradually throughout the season what he is capable of before this week’s breakout performance. I’m ready to see Penn State rely on him more and more in the backfield.

GA: I absolutely agree with this. Lee got an opportunity against Michigan and was dominant with 134 yards and a touchdown on the ground. As a true freshman, he’s still getting better and should be one of the focal points of Penn State’s offense for the foreseeable future, including next season. It’s obviously a crowded running back room, but Lee has stood out when called upon and deserves a larger role.

RP: Keyvone Lee is a beast, there’s no doubt about it. He’s just a true freshman, so it’s hard to predict exactly what his future holds. I will say that I haven’t seen an “it factor” from him that would make me say he’s the future, but he sure is a solid and reliable back. I’m looking forward to seeing him mature over the years and perhaps develop into a star.

WP: Whatever Penn State’s future is, Keyvone Lee needs to be a part of it. He’s clearly a talented, patient rusher, and Caziah Holmes is a nice compliment to him as well. A fully healed Noah Cain, a talented Devyn Ford, and Lee and Holmes in the backfield could be an entertaining group in 2021.

‘The Nittany Lions Can Defend Against The Pass And The Big Play’

SB: Not sold on this one yet. The Nittany Lions still have a ways to go as they have a young secondary, but last week made me optimistic.

GA: Big overreaction here. One game of limiting big plays doesn’t take away the constant explosive plays allowed the first five weeks of the season. While it’s certainly a good sign, the Nittany Lions need to become more consistent until we can say they’ve “figured out” their pass defense and limiting big plays.

RP: Yeah, no. Penn State definitely put up its best defensive performance of the season against Michigan, but the Wolverines’ offense may have been one of the easier the Nittany Lions have played. It’s quite possible the secondary started piecing things together Saturday, but don’t be surprised if Artur Sitkowski throws for 400 yards next week.

WP: No, they haven’t. Penn State’s defense certainly looked great Saturday, but considering what we’ve seen the past five weeks, a lot of that has to be put on the fact that Michigan is not fantastic offensively. Could the Nittany Lions have hit a stride? Absolutely. But let’s not go saying this group is going to shut down every team it faces going forward.

‘Sean Clifford Is Back’

SB: Yep.

GA: This is also an overreaction. Clifford managed the game well and took care of the football in Penn State’s win over Michigan. However, in the previous five weeks, he was a turnover machine and didn’t look quite like the guy from last season. This is another case of needing to see more consistency before saying that he’s “back.” Give me another week or two of solid play, and then we can have this discussion.

RP: Clifford is definitely not “back” quite yet, so this is probably an overreaction. Although he was able to make plays with his legs and limit turnovers against Michigan, his lack of accuracy on the deep ball was noticeably missing. He did connect on some long passes against Iowa, but Clifford is still not back to the 2019 version of himself. If he were to put the pieces against Rutgers, however, I would not be surprised.

WP: Sean Clifford looked good on Saturday, but knowing what he did in 2019, there’s no way to say he’s fully “back” just yet. However, it’s certainly a great sign that he looked efficient in the pocket and didn’t turn the ball over. Nittany Lion fans should hope Clifford continues to take steps like that in the right direction and build some strong momentum for himself entering 2021.

‘The Red Zone Offense Is Still Shaky’

SB: No way to sugarcoat this one. Penn State needs to figure out how to get six on the board because the field goal isn’t always a lock for points. Pinegar and Stout have both been a bit inconsistent. The Nittany Lions need to choose better plays and limit the predictability of their red zone ground game and corner fade mindset.

GA: This is absolutely true. Penn State’s red zone offense is still a serious problem that needs to be solved. Whether it be play calling or execution, it just seems whenever the Nittany Lions enter the red zone, they hit a big wall. I think both the play calling and the execution need to be improved. It’s not just one or the other.

RP: The red zone offense is just as miserable as it was when the season started. Laughable fade routes, predictable play-calling, and probably too much Will Levis against Michigan. The Nittany Lions may have converted more often, but the red zone offense is still a very weak spot.

WP: Does anyone remember the last time Penn State scored on a fade route to the back corner of the end zone? Seriously, tell me.