Editor’s note: I’m trying to make this an annual tradition of some random things floating around in my noggin’ during the bye week. This is also the type of content we have in our newsletter too. You can join that here.
We have collectively done a lot of grumbling when it comes to the present state of college football.
After all, it seems like every day something is changing that impacts the sport at large.
But there’s one recent change that seems to be benefitting college football this season.
The lack of divisions in conferences seems to be the one change college football and its administrators have gotten right of late. In fact, it’s made for some compelling football thus far.
Of course, Penn State is benefitting from the lack of divisions – and did the second the 2024 schedule came out – as only Ohio State of the two-headed Buckeye-Wolverine monster was on the schedule. And while that clash with the Buckeyes looms, part of the joy of conference expansion has been seeing some new opponents, even if it has felt a bit odd.
But look around the Big Ten and Indiana is 6-0 with a very real chance to reach the 9-windiana high watermark. Even Rutgers could stand to benefit from a lighter schedule – as much as you probably don’t want Rutgers to benefit. Granted, you still have to show up and win said football games, but there feels to be a pulse to college football this season that isn’t so oppressing since the removal of divisions.
To the neighbors in the South, we’re also seeing compelling football from the little guys down there too. Vanderbilt got over its Alabama hump and also stands to have a pretty decent season based on the way it’s playing and the way its scheduling shakes out.
The divisions were annoying for a multitude of reasons. Year after year, it was tiring seeing the same six opponents on Penn State’s schedule – and then with protected inter-division matchups, Iowa mainly, it felt like Penn State’s schedule was stuck in the same spot. Penn State’s schedule had been largely boring and may have also contributed to the angst around the program as well. Divisions also felt too professional in the sense that in the NFL you know your team is playing the same six games every single year. College football shouldn’t feel like professional football – even if under the ruse of NIL, it basically is.
But with these bigger conferences and the lack of divisions, there’s at least a new refreshing pulse to the season and its scheduling that we probably haven’t felt since the pre-Leaders and Legends days.
The lack of divisions has been the one change that no one seems to be talking about – and no one seems to be complaining about.
Happy Valley More United?
Last year, we ran a survey related to NIL in Happy Valley. It felt like there was a sense Penn State fans still haven’t come around to the idea.
This year, there seems to be a more inviting sentiment to it.
For various reasons, which we’ve explored here and here and time and time again on the podcast, I’ve felt that Penn Staters haven’t gotten NIL. I don’t think every single Penn State fan has embraced NIL but I’ll give credit where credit is due.
Happy Valley United is doing a much better job.
There’s a much more visible presence during games in Beaver Stadium. They seem to be more aware of where Penn State fans are hanging out – mainly on Facebook and there are actually ads to show for it. Things seem to be more inline when it comes to the marketing efforts, which is a legitimate win.
Penn Staters seem to be less whiny about NIL, accepting that this is a part of life around these parts, too. Anecdotally, I’ve seen fewer “old man yells at clouds” takes about it – again most of which are from Facebook comment sections.
I would challenge Happy Valley United in one way, though, and that’s a bit more transparency. I think understanding where Penn State sits with its NIL coffers compared to other schools could create a sense of urgency that’d push NIL awareness even more. It’d also be reassuring that there has been some growth for the collective.
Penn Staters care but you have to give them a reason to care. HVU is doing better at that too.
Bird Watching
While there’s been some uncorroborated rumblings about a potential shift of broadcaster for the Ohio State game away from Fox, it seems unlikely Fox would pass up what will be one of the most watched college football games days before the election and we’re still hearing as much.
Fortunately, I live in Maryland but on visits to Pennsylvania this season for home games, I’ve been exhausted by the number of political ads I’ve been seeing and I’m sure PA residents have been too. But Fox is not going to pass up on a massive number of eyeballs in two important states in this election and the advertising dollars that those eyeballs will drive.
We will most likely find out the kick time for that game on Monday the 21st.
What I am wondering, and this is much more conjecture than anything else, is where the Washington game will air.
I’ve said for a while I believe there’s a chance it will air on Peacock and I still think it’s a possibility. There are a few reasons why:
• There are two of NBC’s eight Peacock slots left to be used this year. There’s some debate there’s actually three but regardless, they’ve got inventory to fill on the streaming service.
• It’s been documented that Penn State didn’t select White Out as the Ohio State game because it feels that game was going to be at noon. Pat Kraft and James Franklin spent much of the offseason lobbying for a later start to the White Out and that’s why its announcement was delayed well into the summer. Kraft double downed at his preseason press conference, saying “we worked with Fox to not take the Washington game at noon.” He went on to insinuate the game won’t be at noon period so this takes noon off the table in my opinion.
• The day Penn State plays Washington is the same day Notre Dame plays Florida State on NBC at 7:30 p.m. This takes away NBC’s traditional 7:30 p.m. slot but they’ll probably still going to show a Big Ten game as they have before on Peacock.
• Here’s where things start to get more interesting. Penn State women’s volleyball plays at 3:30 p.m. on NBC that Saturday. Penn State’s opponent in that match is Wisconsin, whose football team is on a bye. It is one of just three volleyball matches NBC is showing this season too. The first of which is this weekend between Ohio State and Nebraska. Their football teams play in separate games at noon, avoiding competition with the volleyball match. The second is Oct. 26 and features Wisconsin at Purdue. The Badgers’ football team plays at 7:30 p.m. on NBC against, of course, Penn State. That will serve as a nice lead in.
• Volleyball matches also generally take two hours, and two hours isn’t enough time to fit a college football game before the Notre Dame game so that takes NBC off the table from effectively 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• With the conference appearing to keep things clear for the volleyball matches in terms of audience, that likely takes CBS and their 3:30 p.m. slot off the table for the UW-PSU game as well. BTN and FS1 likely won’t have the game because the White Out is usually a well-watched game.
• I think NBC could attempt to spin viewers of the volleyball match into Peacock subscribers. Now, NBC has had some football games on Peacock at 3:30 p.m. prior to Notre Dame but it’d make no sense to fracture the Penn State audience. They’re going to want the volleyball match to do well and would wait for it to be over.
• Further, it knows people tune into the White Out. This would also be an opportunity — or rather pressure — for more Washington subscriptions to come in as well. This is a massive game for them this season too.
• NBC has also pushed Peacock games harder. There was more promotion for Ohio State-Michigan State this year, which aired on Peacock the same day as Illinois-Penn State aired on NBC. With Notre Dame having an OK year and Florida State having a down year, one has to wonder if they’d push UW-Penn State in the same fashion they pushed Ohio State-Michigan State.
• I’ll even take it one step and ponder if that Peacock White Out has a goofy start time too. Last year, Michigan State and Washington played at 5 p.m. on Peacock, which is an odd time. We also still don’t know if the whole no November night game thing is still a thing in this part of Big Ten country after expansion but 5:30 p.m. would be right when the volleyball match ended and allow Washington to not get back as late from Happy Valley too, especially if they have to bus to Harrisburg.
Again that prediction is based much more on evidence than sources, but the evidence laid out is interesting enough to make me wonder. We should find out the kick time and network for the Washington game the Monday after Penn State football’s trip to Wisconsin.
That’s it for this year’s edition of Random Bye Week Thoughts. Enjoy your weekend without worrying about Penn State’s slow first quarters.
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