Penn State football offers another thrilling season planned for 2010, and Penn State enthusiasts are already gearing up for gameday outings to Pleased Valley and road trips to opponent stadiums. Obviously whilst each and every PSU football season brings excellent expectations and hope, each one has its own own character depending on the shcools about the schedule, and often that is shaped through the non-conference competitors planned to play the Nittany Lions.
Penn State’s Big Ten competitors tend to be fairly constant, and whilst some roll on and off the schedule every year, and the home and away components flip, you can generally rely on excellent Big 10 matchups. For instance, in 2010, Penn State will have thrilling match ups with Michigan and Ohio State on the road and (both will be really tough games, even though Michigan is down), and home games against Michigan State, Northwestern, and Illinois. Virtually all these types of games will be competitive, and tickets are going to be sold out.
The out-of-conference schedule is a different tale. These types of teams roll about the schedule virtually new every year, and the games could be classic big team match ups or romps over cream puffs. Most years you receive a little of both.
In 2010, this is certainly the case, as Penn State includes a traditional match-up with Alabama. Penn State vs Alabama tickets in Tuscaloosa will be in high demand, and this won’t be the greatest game on the Penn State schedule in 2010, however among the best match ups in NCAA football for that entire year. This is the kind of game that you spend the entire off season getting excited about.
However to go with Alabama, Penn State offers match ups with Youngstown State (season opener), Kent State, and Temple. Not one of those tend to be competitive games, and while Youngstown State is an extremely good program, this isn’t even a I-A school (it’s I-AA). Will you be in the market to purchase Penn State vs Youngstown St football tickets or Penn State vs Temple football tickets?
You can reason that Temple can give Penn State a touch game. In the end, they did make it to a bowl game last year and tend to be a lot improved under Al Golden. However does anybody really think they’ll be competitive in Happy Valley? Penn State will likely be a 3 touchdown favorite.
So as it is with most non-conference schedules, you need to take the good with the bad. Generally, I’d like to see Penn State schedule two competitive games to go with two easy ones. Ideally the two competitive games would be against BCS conference competitors. However this year, given the quality of the PSU vs Alabama match-up, I’d need to give this non-conference schedule a good passing grade overall.
Regardless, football time in State College is a special time, so enjoy!
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