By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com UNIVERSITY PARK — We’ve now witnessed the low point of James Franklin’s eight-year Penn State tenure. As a 24-point favorite, fresh from a bye week, the Nittany Lions lost to Illinois, 20-18, in a torturous nine-overtime game — NCAA record — ...

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Backup QBs get chance to show up All eyes are on the Penn State quarterback(s). Sean Clifford has made a surprisingly quick return to practice, but his availability for today’s game with Illinois (noon, ABC) remains questionable. The Nittany ...

Should the Big Ten change its divisional structure, and if so, how? By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com I heard James Franklin on the topic encouraging discussion, and it’s totally understandable. As we sit here this morning, the best four teams in the ...

Penn State Altoona will be making history this weekend. One of the crown jewels of Altoona and Central Pennsylvania, the school where so many of us got our start will stage its first athletic Hall of Fame induction. Two of the honorees, Tyler Franklin (Altoona) and Tim Wassell ...

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Football has long operated with the premise that the coaches and the quarterbacks get too much credit and too much blame. Saturday’s Penn State-Iowa game at Kinnick Stadium exhibited that competent quarterbacking — and quarterback preparation — ...

The biggest subplot of Penn State’s game within the game (of the year, so far) at Iowa will be Jahan Dotson. The standout receiver has been outstanding, easily the biggest difference maker fueling the Nittany Lions’ resurgence from their nightmare season of 2020. Dotson’s 35 ...