Breaking News

Sports Columns

What constitutes a successful season for the Nittany Lions?

Lions need to run table and finish with 11-2 mark By Neil Rudel I think it’s pretty simple. Win out to finish 11-2 and serve notice this could be a team to be reckoned with for the Big Ten championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff next year. On one hand, you can say it’s been a bounce-back year from the 11-11 mess of the last two seasons, but those were in no way the Penn State standard. Sweeping November would get the Lions to 10-2, but they don’t have a win to really brag about, and none remain on the remaining schedule. The Nits can’t afford to stub ...

Campbell picks up key minutes in Lady Lions victory

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com UNIVERSITY PARK — Alli Campbell finally lived out a childhood dream she’s had since watching Maggie Lucas play for Penn State when she checked into the Lady Lions’ opener against Norfolk State with 4:25 to play in the first quarter ...

Bittersweet win for Logano as Gibbs kin mourn

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano began his career at Joe Gibbs Racing, which signed him to a driver development deal when he was 15, and then put “Sliced Bread” in a NASCAR national series race seven days after his 18th birthday. There was a plan to develop Logano, but it was scrapped when JGR fast-tracked him to Cup after just 19 Xfinity Series starts because Hall of Famer Tony Stewart left ahead of the 2009 season. Logano wasn’t ready for the big leagues, and JGR let him go after four rocky Cup seasons. He landed at Team Penske and on Sunday won his second Cup championship ...

Lions do it their way vs Indiana

There have been plenty of Penn State teams – some good, some not — that have gone to Indiana and struggled. In 24 games against the Hoosiers, Penn State has a victory margin of 21.3 points at Beaver Stadium and is 12-0, but in Bloomington, the Nittany Lions are 9-2 but with a victory margin of 7.3. That includes a 3-2 record in the last five trips and a victory margin of 0.8 points. Turns out the venue didn’t matter this time as the Lions left no doubt, running off 38 unanswered points and breezing to a 45-14 win at atmosphere-less Memorial Stadium. “I’m happy with ...

Lions will need to make their own energy

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Some nitpicking as the Nittany Lions hit November at 6-2 or probably about one game better than most thought they’d be until they opened 5-0: n Today’s game at Indiana will be Penn State’s first game this season played in a sedate atmosphere. Road games at Purdue, Auburn and Michigan were packed. Memorial Stadium won’t be. Indiana has trouble drawing in good years, and the Hoosiers have lost five straight so the Lions will need to find their energy internally. n This is when team leadership — and coaching — is magnified. ...

PSU point-counterpoint: How should the quarterback situation be handled?

Clifford has lost right to be permanent starter By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com After last Saturday’s 44-31 loss to Ohio State, Sean Clifford lowered his career record vs. OSU and Michigan to 2-6, without a win over the Buckeyes. James Franklin has maintained loyalty to Clifford. After a shaky start at Michigan, which Clifford didn’t finish due to injury (leaving a QB question for the next game against Minnesota), Franklin said, “Sean has earned the right” to be the starter. That isn’t the case anymore. Not after Clifford was intercepted on the Lions’ ...