Jar Jar Binks gets a bad wrap and we don’t appreciate Admiral Ackbar enough.
These are my two Star Wars takes that I will take to my grave. We can debate the merits of Binks, the inclusion of his character and the lasting impact he’s had on the franchise’s first reboot until then too.
We can not, however, debate that Admiral Ackbar’s signature line, “It’s a trap,” is the greatest by a non-core character in the entire series of films.
I recognize by now you’ve come to this blog to read about Penn State football and not my Star Wars takes, so I will get on with it. Like many of you, I have been wondering if the Nittany Lions, like those intergalactic rebels, are walking into a trap this weekend.
It doesn’t matter though.
Whatever Saturday is, good teams win trap games, good teams win regular games. Good teams win.
Penn State has finally started to prove it’s a good team, too. Two weekends ago, the Nittany Lions exorcised many, but not all, of the demons plaguing the program with a win over USC. It was a comeback in a big moment – one that may have caused the Trojans to quit on the entire season. It was also a win that Penn State needed so that you could sow some belief that this team can take the next step.
Penn State has lost games like that USC one time and time again, and the emotions of the roller coaster that the Nittany Lions put their fans through rivaled any of those at Universal Hollywood.
But there’s also a collective sense of letdown lingering – one that I’m not sure is certainly justified – after monumental (or even small) wins. After the 2016 Ohio State win, Penn State took care of business at Purdue in the next game. Even in 2019 following Penn State’s impressive run against Iowa and Michigan, the Nittany Lions took care of business against and at Michigan State.
Those games were legitimate trap games that Penn State has won.
In fact, it’s hard to find a “trap” game that Penn State, under James Franklin, has lost. There are games it probably should have taken care of business against like the Minnesota game in 2019. There’s also the long list you’ve been harboring that features Ohio State and Michigan and only them.
But in general, Franklin – to his credit – has had his teams ready for moments like the one they’ll face on Saturday.
Madison is a Rockwellian portrait of American Collegiate Football and its faithful are just as boisterous as that one guy standing up in that one Rockwell painting. It’s not the most difficult environment to win but after a day of guzzling Spotted Cow, it won’t be an easy environment either for Penn State’s roster.
Then again, this is the Big Ten. Whether it’s loud stadiums or stadiums where the away team has to bring their own juice, you have to be ready. That’s how the good teams in the conference win. Now, Penn State has had two weeks to prepare – crowd noise and all. Plus, Penn State is – on paper – a more poised, more athletic and probably more well coached team. In these moments, that’s where it has to shine through.
Additionally, that type of logic makes it harder to say that Saturday is a trap game. And much like concerns about the travel logistics to Los Angeles two weeks ago, a trap game is something you put into your own head. Franklin’s grip on the focus of this program has maybe provided some shortcomings but also worked well when it’s supposed to. Saturday’s game is one of those times.
The other element of what’s making some Penn State fans believe this trip is a trap is what’s lingering after Penn State’s trip to Wisconsin.
You know. I know. I’m also sure that they – meaning those playing or coaching for Penn State – also know, even as much as 1-0 is preached around these parts.
But that shouldn’t matter.
What should matter is that right now, Penn State has a game to play and it seems to be a good football team. It’s proved it’s a good football team with its win over USC. It can solidify that on Saturday night in Wisconsin because that’s what good teams do.
Win.
vs. 
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: NBC
Announcers: Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen
Radio: Penn State Sports Network
Announcers: Steve Jones, Jack Ham, Brian Tripp
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