FALL ’21 Episode 5: Ball State at Penn State

Happy Valley is ready for a family reunion. After an impossibly long layover nobody could have foreseen when the 2019 Nittany Lions closed out their home schedule with a win over Rutgers on Senior Day, the Greatest Show in College Football returns to Beaver Stadium this Saturday (and the next three to follow).

The spirit of the Valley will be felt again in the Downtown on Friday afternoon. The tailgating fields will fill up early on the morning of game day. The student section will be rocking with the energy that sustains campus and community. And fans of a certain age will grudgingly figure out how “Apple Wallet” works on their way into the stadium. Handling this episode on their own, Chris and Kevin (on the road back from the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions in Cooperstown, N.Y.) wax poetic about the return of fans and the accompanying home game atmosphere, ponder the necessity of virtual tickets and numbered lots, and talk through the game scenarios for Penn State’s matchup with an experienced Ball State team looking to play spoiler after its MAC Championship season in 2020.

HOSTED BY: Kevin Horne, Chris Buchignani

WHAT IS THE OBLIGATORY PSU PODCAST?

The Obligatory PSU Podcast features wide-ranging discussions of Penn State sports, Nittany Lions football in particular, and all things Penn State and Happy Valley from the cast of The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Former Penn State and NFL defensive lineman Brandon Noble (’92-97), campus icon Mike “the Mailman” Herr, Onward State managing editor emeritus Kevin Horne, and Nittany Valley Society president Chris Buchignani. Along with a rotating cast of characters from around State College and across Nittany Nation, the guys focus on the stories, issues, and personalities surrounding the Blue and White fan experience.

The Obligatory PSU Podcast delivers fun and insightful commentary on the teams, University, and place that are beloved by many thousands of students, alumni, and fans. There’s no pretense of objectivity or “journalistic” distance here; these guys are here because they care, and their Penn State knowledge and love shine through in every installment. The goal is to touch on a broad variety of topics relating to the Nittany Lions in conversations that are frequently funny and occasionally profound, all while enjoying a few (or more) adult beverages. If you’ve got Penn State in your blood, you’ll enjoy sharing the journey with us.