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Sorting through the blue and white mailbag:
Neil:
PSU has not been dominant in the last three games to the degree I think they should. With all the hype they were receiving before the season, we could be looking at two losses this year.
Happy Valley will be Unhappy Valley.
Randy Sibert, Harrisburg
Randy:
You know what Nick Saban calls hype? "Rat poison."
Neil:
I have never liked the Nits being ranked high in preseason polls. That leaves only one way to go. Much of the criticism thus far is surely the result of that early expectation, being ranked in the top three.
Had the preseason ranking been closer to say No. 10, fans would be viewing this squad with more optimism rather than the plethora of negative points of view.
Dave Semler, Reedsville
Dave:
Then fans -- and the team -- would feel slighted and play the lack of respect card.
Neil:
The O-line that college football experts Joel Klatt and Phil Steele said was the best in the country is overrated and unfortunately appears to be another average Penn State O-line.
The D in my view has been up and down to date, although only allowing 14 points.
Although I love Drew Allar, do you get the feeling that we left another Trace McSorley type, Beau Pribula, escape?
If things don't dramatically change, we are going to get boatraced by OSU and Oregon.
Tim Muri
Naperville, Illinois
Tim:
Boatraced.
That's a Goon Conlin favorite.
I'm happy for Beau but am not ready to declare him superior to Allar. I do feel most college coaches prefer a mobile quarterback.
Neil:
A lot of talk about the Heisman, but it is not for Allar.
It is for Beau.
Bill Obert, Bedford
Bill:
I'm sensing a pattern here.
I doubt either will finish in the running.
Neil:
Small sample size, but after three games, former Nit QB Beau Pribula is lighting it up down at the SEC's Mizzou, with 950 passing yards, eight TDs and 76% pass completion rate, some of the top stats in Division I football.
Mizzou committed $1.5 million to snag Pribula out of the portal stable, and with a quick 4-0 start it seems like a sound investment.
But as legendary football guru Lee Corso might say, "Not so fast my friend."
Let's reserve judgment on Pribula until runs the gamut of a brutal SEC schedule, including Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
Mike Rendos, Lock Haven
Mike:
You, sir, are a voice of reason.
Neil:
I'm looking forward to when Penn State plays up to the level of their competition as well as they play down to the level of their competition.
It seems as if this has happened more under Franklin than ever before. What say you?
Tim Frank, Huntingdon
Tim:
There is such a disparity in college football, between the halves and halve nots, that you see 25-point lines for too much of the schedule.
That doesn't exist in the NFL because of parity. It's why Penn State can outscore its opponents 132-17 and look underwhelming at times.
Neil:
I'll continue to beat the drum about playing minor-league teams in the preseason. If you're good, or if you want to be good, play other good teams.
To be a champion you have to beat as good or better competition. Penn State has a lot of horses. But will they be toughened up enough by the time they play Oregon? And never -- ever -- underestimate Ohio State (or Iowa). Franklin (or his players) seems to fold in the big games.
I won't comment about the state of professional football -- all sports, really -- sponsored by colleges.
Unlimited NIL and the transfer portal have seriously reduced my enthusiasm for what used to be college football.
Lu Dorfman, Houston
Lu:
I like how you won't comment and then comment.
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.