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Are Weak Non-Conference Opponents a Disservice to Penn State Season Ticket Holders? NSN’s Joe Smeltzer Discusses With Cory Giger

Penn State coach James Franklin isn’t shy about saying that he doesn’t want his team playing tough non-conference opponents.

PSU’s 2025 non-conference schedule— home games against Nevada, Florida International and Villanova— certainly back that up.

But considering Penn State fans pay a pretty solid chunk of cash for season tickets, is it fair to them to have three of the team’s seven home games against programs that are not in Penn State’s league?

I discussed that on the air with Cory Giger of Sports Central on 96.1 Hank FM in Altoona. We also talked about Penn State’s performance in its 45-37 Big Ten Championship loss to Oregon Saturday, Dec. 7, and how that loss might have actually helped Penn State’s national championship chances.

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The 12-team College Football Playoff helps teams like Penn State— who never made the four-team field despite winning double-digit games six times between 2016-23–, but is it a flawed format in general?

Listen to Joe and Cory discuss all of this and more below.

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