Victory Bell Rings
Fansided

Penn State Football: 7 Reasons for the Ugly Season

By Alec Whitaker

Nov 7, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands with quarterback Sean Clifford (14) during the playing of the alma mater following the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands with quarterback Sean Clifford (14) during the playing of the alma mater following the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next

Penn State football is 0-5. That has never happened before in program history.

This Penn State Football season, the worst start in the illustrious history of the program, has become a complete head scratcher for most people. The Nittany Lions’ disappointing 0-5 start is especially bewildering considering the team was a preseason top 10 in both polls.

While this season has been anything but normal due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this Nittany Lions team looks to be struggling more than everyone else in the Big Ten, if not the nation.

People have started to ask what’s wrong, and the answer is that there is not just one problem, but many.

Let’s look at all the factors of this disaster of a season:

Nov 21, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the video board following a Penn State Nittany Lions touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the video board following a Penn State Nittany Lions touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

No Fans

Penn State has arguably the best homefield advantage in college football, and maybe all of North American sports.

That advantage is gone thanks to the pandemic. With only parents allowed into Beaver Stadium, most players haven’t played in front of a crowd this small since their Pop Warner days.

When you’re used to 107k fans, and you run out of that tunnel and it sounds like a library, that is demoralizing.

Moreso, the advantage those fans present — particularly for the Nittany Lions’ defense, an advantage that former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer once said is worth up to seven points, is gone.

Penn State has come out flat in every game and has faced double digit half time deficits in every game this season. Not having the fans there to supply the juice for them is playing a role.

Penn State prides themselves on big, loud crowds, and that pride is gone.

Home/Penn State Football