On their weekly Penn State football podcast, host Adam Bittner and Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian insider Joe Haas react to the Nittany Lions' No. 4 spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. Does coach James Franklin's team deserve it over a Notre Dame team popular with many pundits? Why isn't Penn State getting more credit for wins when compared to teams that lost similar games? And should fans prefer to see a matchup with an SEC opponent in the first round, instead of a potential meeting with Big Ten foe Indiana?

Our duo tackles those questions and more on the football front. Including: Where does Tyler Warren belong in their Heisman Trophy conversation alongside names like Colorado's Travis Hunter and Boise State's Ashton Jeanty? Could Franklin sit key players including Warren, Abdul Carter, Nick Singleton, Drew Allar and Kayton Allen early against Maryland with an eye toward preserving them for the playoffs? And how many students may return to campus for a home playoff game?

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First Published: November 28, 2024, 5:47 p.m.