Sorting through the blue and white mailbag while geared up for another season:

Neil:

This should be the year.

Penn State has pushed all their chips to the center of the table. They have 14 returning starters, experienced skilled position players and O-line, excellent coordinators and a favorable schedule.

No excuse not to get over the hump vs. Ohio State. They only have six returning starters and a new quarterback.

Barring major injuries, I expect no less than a 12-0 regular season and a real shot at a national championship.

John Shearer

Renovo, PA

John:

We’ll see if James Franklin and Drew Allar are up to it.

Neil:

Opening the season with three patsies does not prepare you for Oregon.

The Ducks’ first three games include Oklahoma State and Northwestern, certainly far better opponents.

Your 12-0 prediction is highly unlikely unless CJF finally wins a big game or two.

My prediction is 10-2 or 11-1.

Big Game James: Please prove me wrong.

David Toltzis

Atlanta

David:

I see Pat Fitzgerald’s lawsuit vs. Northwestern was settled and wonder where he’ll land.

Neil:

Dream on. Big Game James will find a way to stumble.

I think the Buckeyes could lose three games. The loss of 14 starters, loss of Knowles, a freshman QB, unproven defensive line.

And some tough games — Texas, Washington, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan.

Teams coming off a national championship tend to have a letdown.

But I still don’t see Penn State at 12-0.

Randy Essell

Dallas

Randy:

Your scenario is kind of humorous.

If Franklin gets over the Ohio State hurdle and the Buckeyes have three losses, as you suggest, will he get credit or will it be attributed to a OSU post-title hangover?

Good morning, Neil:

In 11 seasons at Penn State, James Franklin has 101 wins and 42 losses for a .706 winning percentage.

His record against ranked opponents during that same time frame is 16 wins and 29 losses for a .356 winning percentage.

His record against Ohio State and Michigan since coming to Penn State is 4-17 losses for a .191 winning percentage.

Last year James blew a 10-point lead to both Ohio State and Notre Dame.

I really hope that we do better, but I have Penn State with a 10-2 regular-season record — at best — with losses to Oregon at the White Out and at Ohio State.

I expect better but have learned over the past 11 years to receive less.

James: Please prove me wrong and make me eat every word of this e-mail.

Samuel Bernstine

New Galilee

Good morning, Samuel:

I’ve lost track of the come-from-ahead losses.

They must end.

Neil:

Your prediction column should have been titled: “More reasons for greater disappointment.”

Equipped with a loaded roster, Penn State has its shortest national championship and Big Ten title odds this century, per Sportsoddshistory.com.

It’s +600 to win the national title, behind Texas and Ohio State at +550, and +225 to win the conference behind Ohio State at +200 on ESPN BET and theScore Bet.

The Nittany Lions’ win total is 10.5, their highest mark in the last 20 years.

They’ve only won the Big Ten title once in James Franklin’s decade-plus tenure, having done so in 2016 when they were +6000 preseason longshots.

Larry Eisman

Conshocken

Larry:

A 10-2 regular season would be a profound disappointment, but it will keep you employed as a headline writer.

Neil:

Are you really picking 12-0? I’m stunned.

If my memory serves me — and admittedly, it has faded as I bear down on 70 — you have said that you won’t pick the Lions to beat Ohio State until we actually do it once.

On top of that, the game is in Columbus. And Franklin is 4-20 vs. Top-10 teams. Maybe Ohio State isn’t in the Top 10 when we reach Columbus.

But we seldom play well after a bye week, so that isn’t even something we can hang our hat on.

I’m marking this one down as an “L.”

Rick Weber

Fort Myers, Florida

Rick:

I reserve the right to change my mind.

Neil Rudel will respond to brief questions and comments in Gameday. You can email him at nrudel@altoonamirror.com and follow him on X @neilrudel