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It's GAME DAY in Evanston with your Penn State Nittany Lions taking on Northwestern. Kick off is at 8:00 PM EDT on Fox. WE ARE!!!

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𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑰𝒕 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒔
written by Dawn Coe Meyer

Yikes. It’s 12 hours and a good night’s sleep later and I’m still struggling to find words to say about this loss. I’m stunned, but also I’m not. I’m disappointed, but also I’m not. I’m keeping it in perspective, but also I’m not.

One of my favorite quotable movies is A League of Their Own, and there’s a funny scene with a talent scout where he tells the two main characters, “see how it works is, the train moves, not the station.”

See how it works is: we have a 17-point lead, three interceptions, and we win the game.

Except when we don’t. Except when true freshman Josiah Zayas scores the first TD of Big Ten play with a 50-yard pick six, Tony Rojas finishes with six tackles, two TFLs, a sack, and an interception, and we still lose.

Watching it go down was brutal. Becht had arguably the worst game of his “most experienced QB in college football” career. The defense eventually broke down. It’s tough to get past having a 17-point lead, intercepting the Badgers’ quarterback three times, and still managing to lose the game. A lot of things were subpar about our players, play calling, and coaching. And on top of it, it was homecoming night.

I’ve seen ten different iterations of a meme with Franklin in various expressions and the words “Miss me yet?” Suddenly, out of the woodwork come people saying, see, we got a worse deal.

I was very vocal last year that firing Franklin in the manner in which he was fired was not right, and I still feel that way. But that’s what happened. I had no say in the matter, no control over the decision.

Same as I had no control over the hiring of Matt Campbell.

The fact is, he’s our coach now. I sincerely hope he does well, but I also feel bad for the way he’s going to get torched by his own fan base. Maybe he hasn’t earned this fan base yet; though I don’t think it’s wins and losses that truly earn our support. We’re looking for character, loyalty, resilience, and leadership as well. At least, I hope we are.

He’s talked a lot about the togetherness of this team, taking advantage of opportunities, and learning from adversity. All those words are being tested now. We’ll see how he rises to the occasion or doesn’t. We’ll see how we conduct ourselves as well.

Have you noticed that people are never satisfied? If you win, it’s not that good of a win. If you lose, you’re abysmal. Even if we won every game this season and finally grabbed the national championship, people wouldn’t be happy because our schedule is so weak. So much hyperbole and unrealistic expectation.

Why is that how it works? At what point do we let go of the things out of our control and accept that a game is just a game? You win some, you lose some.

The way I work is that when we lose, I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to hear anyone’s hot take on exactly what the breakdowns were, who we need to blame, or how it projects onto the rest of the season. It’s kind of ironic since it’s my job to say something about it for Lions Pride’s followers, so here I am putting words to the thoughts and feelings that swirl in my head living in a culture that values winning big above all else.

Even my eight-year-old knows: that’s not how life works, winning every single game in a row. That wouldn’t even be fun.

And he’s right. If we’re really honest, it wouldn’t even be fun if we were guaranteed to win every contest. It’s the competition that gives us pleasure. At least those of us who still have the capacity to enjoy sports without tying them to our own self-worth or needing to shove success down the opponent’s throat.

So, assuage your disappointment and frustration–all valid–by blaming somebody if you need to. I’ve seen and heard quite a list so far:

Rocco Becht, Matt Campbell, Pat Kraft, Mouser, Franklin, Grunk, Paterno, the loss to Oregon last season, even Drew Allar! Or, swear off fandom of this program for good. Or, rally yourself and others to keep things in perspective and come back next week optimistic. You gotta work however you work.

Most of us stuck around through the 2000-2004 seasons and were rewarded with the 2005 season. If this is truly the start of a new dark era, if the sky is truly falling after losing the Big Ten opener, well, I guess we’ll grumble our way through.

We walk into a challenging situation at Northwestern this Friday night. We’re gonna continue to learn about this team, the culture Matt Campbell is building, and ourselves.

Go State! Beat the Wildcats!

A Homecoming look by Lions Pride! Whether you’re in Beaver Stadium or cheering from home, our gear makes sure you stand out. Don't forget you can buy your game day gear online and pick-up in store!

Attention Penn State fans! It's Homecoming and the Helmet Stripe game in State College, with your Nittany Lions taking on Wisconsin at 5:00 PM EDT. GO STATE, BEAT THE BADGERS! 🏈 💙🤍

💙🤍 HOMECOMING WEEKEND IS HERE! 🤍💙

Penn State Homecoming is the perfect excuse to add a little extra sparkle to your game-day look! 🦁✨

Join Moyer Bauman Jewelers at Lions Pride for a special Homecoming pop-up featuring your favorite Penn State jewelry and game-day pieces.

📍 Lions-Pride.com
💙 Friday, September 25 | 2–8 PM
💙 Saturday, September 26 | Homecoming Pop-Up | 8:30-3PM

Whether you’re shopping for yourself, finding the perfect gift, or looking for a little something to show your WE ARE! 💙🤍

💙🤍 HOMEcoming weekend starts here! 🦁✨

We’re bringing all your favorite Penn State jewelry and game-day sparkle to Lions Pride this Friday!

📍 Lions Pride
📅 Friday, September 25
⏰ 2–8 PM

Stop by, shop your Penn State favorites, and find the perfect piece to WEAR YOUR PRIDE all season long. 💙

WE ARE! 🦁🤍

Whether you’re returning to town, or if you still call Penn State your home, we’ve got your game day buttons right here at Lions Pride. Happy Homecoming Weekend to everyone! 🔵⚪️