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What are you most looking forward to as Big Ten play begins?
The parting gift left on his former desk from James Franklin was a non-conference schedule of Marshall, at Temple and Buffalo.
We'll start to find out Saturday how much Matt Campbell and the 2026 Nittany Lions should appreciate that gesture.
Did it build a false sense of security accompanied by the Associated Press' No. 13 ranking or should we believe the struggle against the Owls, a well-coached team (K.C. Keeler) motivated by in-state proximity, is a cautionary flag?
I'll be most interested to see how Penn State shows up from here in the physicality department.
Wisconsin has had its troubles under Luke Fickell -- certainly compared with Barry Alvarez's great teams of the past -- but the Badgers are typically one of the league's more rugged teams up front.
They ranked fourth in the Big Ten last year in rush defense (surprisingly, the Badgers were dead last in rushing, which needs to be corrected if Fickell is going to keep his job).
How Penn State answers that challenge against a real opponent will give us a snapshot of what lies ahead.
For as much as the Lions' schedule has been criticized nationally for its soft spots -- and rightfully so -- nobody should apologize for the upcoming stretch.
And that's Wisconsin, a trip to Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 2 for the Wildcats' opening of their new $850 million stadium, followed by the toughest back-to-back of the PSU season -- a visit from USC in White Out conditions preceding a trip to the Big House.
Which is why how the running back situation evolves is also worth watching.
Starter Carson Hansen has so far shown durability, but his per-carry average of 4.8 in a team-high 35 carries is the lowest among the committee.
Quinton Martin, after receiving an apparent message in getting zero carries at Temple, averages 6.9 on 20 carries and has the team's lone 100-yard game (vs. Buffalo).
Ohio State transfer James Peoples has flashed, leaping over a defender at Temple and showing outside speed against Buffalo. He's averaging 5.7 in 23 totes.
Cam Wallace averages 6.1 on 20 tries as the staff has made good on its pledge of playing all four.
But can that last?
The tougher the opponent, sometimes the fewer the opportunities to divide up the ball-carrying work. Add in the fact that the best of the great backs develop a feel and seem to get better as the games wear on.
Whether the Lions have or need a No. 1 tailback should be answered in the next month.
Decisions may be made that don't accommodate all four -- or even three.
There have been Nit backfield logjams before.
Among them:
n With Charlie Pittman, Lydell Mitchell and Franco Harris, it didn't matter in 1969 because the schedule was less than formidable. (And the defense was second to none).
n In 1993, the first year Penn State joined the Big Ten, there were three capable running backs -- Ki-Jana Carter, Mike Archie and Stephen Pitts.
Two were good players -- Archie and Pitts.
One was great -- Carter.
The problem was the Lions ended up taking two losses before they anointed Carter, which they did in time to finish 12-0 in 1994.
With a College Football Playoff berth potentially at stake this year, who ends up chairing the Lions' running back "committee" will help determine how far this team goes.
Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.