Saturday will not have the answers you’re looking for.
It’s time that we bring back an annual tradition: Waiting for the game that will actually answer questions but first watching Penn State play a game that will not give us answers.
It’s the conundrum of a Penn State fan in this era.
Over the past few seasons, Penn State frustrates you. Then it plays a game that (besides that one time in 2021) it should, can and most likely will win – barring an asteroid striking down – all before playing the game that will actually give you satisfying (or mostly unsatisfying) answers.
When Penn State takes on Villanova this weekend, you will not get the data that you’re looking for. You won’t see Drew Allar take that step. You won’t find out just how good this offensive line is or is not. You won’t know how much the linebacker depth can be tested.
You won’t see Penn State play a team that will answer the questions you have right now.
It’s a true Penn State purgatory.
Even with several transfers on this roster and not for a lack of respect, the Wildcats would need some help from their most famous alum to have anything resembling a chance on Saturday.
And meanwhile, you’ll have to sit here and ponder what’s going to happen in two weeks from Saturday. Most of all, you’ll still stew after whatever last week was.
Penn State didn’t play well. Even the head football coach seemed to have a tone of irritation with the effort after the game and at this week’s press conference.
That’s because there are championship expectations for this team this season. Everyone who cares about Penn State football – from James Franklin all the way to Bill and Linda from York sitting EJU – has built those expectations into this team.
With those expectations come championship standards.
Especially as Penn State floundered around in the first half of Saturday’s ball game against FIU, that standard wasn’t met. By the time Penn State ground out the Panthers with a few plays that did meet those standards, it was too late. The previous 40-or-so minutes of football had tainted what every one of the 103,818 inside Beaver Stadium saw.
And that brought back a sense of anxiety for fans that’s usually been found at least once over the last few seasons.
Rightfully so, when Penn State fans know how the story often ends up.
That’s why Saturday will do little to dissuade any of those feelings.
Penn State – regardless of championship and standard standards – should win handily in this opening stretch of the season. It’s a part of the scheduling philosophy for Penn State in the non-conference portion right now.
In the box score, it looked like Penn State won handily against FIU too. It was a shutout. Penn State’s offense put up 409 yards. Penn State remains 11-for-11 in the red zone this season.
But the tension that’s pulling on this season, mixed with last Saturday’s effort, doesn’t have an easy fix.
Maybe Penn State will be fine. Maybe – as I said last week – we will forget about the FIU game when this is all said and done.
But we won’t find out when Penn State plays Villanova, because this Saturday will not answer the questions you have.
vs 
Time: 3:30 p.m.
TV: FS1
Announcers: Connor Onion, Mark Helfrich
Radio: Penn State Sports Network
Announcers: Steve Jones, Jack Ham, Brian Tripp
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