Penn State started the 2014 season overseas in Dublin, Ireland, where the Nittany Lions played at Gaelic football stadium in the Croke Park Classic. Now they’ll finish it on a baseball field at Yankee Stadium, a bizarre start and finish that brought a bit of symmetry to James Franklin’s first season.
That fact wasn’t lost on StateCollege.com beat writer Ben Jones, who said he saw potential in the Pinstripe Bowl matchup between Penn State and Boston College. The venue is unique and the location is ideal for fans and alumni to make the trip and watch the program’s first bowl appearance since the 2012 season. The game itself should mirror the run-heavy, defensive-minded contests that Penn State played so often this season.
Of course, postseason eligibility wasn’t the only thing stripped from the program when the NCAA hammered it with sanctions in July 2012. Two full seasons of reduced scholarships had a huge impact on the roster Franklin inherited, particularly along an offensive line that began the season with just one returning starter.
Ben Jones shared his perspective on the Boston College matchup, positive takeaways from a rebuilding season, the highlights from Franklin’s debut season and more on this week’s Keystone Sports Network podcast. Check out audio from the show in this post and get plenty more podcasts and analysis on KeystoneSportsNetwork.com and by following @KSNSportsNet on Twitter.