The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Penn State vs. Central Michigan

Penn State notched one of its biggest and most dominant wins in years by utterly dominating the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Nittany Lions now return home to host Central Michigan ranked 14th in the nation and building some serious momentum.

Brandon Noble is back on the show this week, and he joins Mike the Mailman, Kevin, and Chris in celebrating an outcome that saw the 2022 Lions surpass his ‘96 Outback Bowl squad’s mark for largest margin of victory over Auburn. They talk about this team’s unique combination of veteran leadership and youthful playmakers as the Lions shift their attention to the Chippewas. This week’s Letterman Legacy segment focuses on former Nittany Lions Yaacov Yisrael (1999-2003), who chose to move from his native Illinois to Happy Valley to play for the Nittany Lions and Joe Paterno.

In segments featuring highlights and exclusive content from the Blue & White Players Show, Goon, Chris, and Aeneas are joined by junior safety Keaton Ellis and last week’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, senior safety Ji’Ayir Brown. As always, we have useless score predictions for CMU and Mike’s Trends 2 Treasure picks for next weekend.

Catch up on Past Shows:

The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Episode 701 (Purdue)

The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Episode 702 (Ohio)

The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show: Episode 703 (Auburn)

More About Obligatory:

Entering its seventh season, The Obligatory PSU Pregame Show is a TV “tailgate” full of the fun, camaraderie, and passion – from joy to heartbreak and back again – that make Penn State football the healthy obsession of students, alumni, and fans. For every loyal Nittany Lion who can’t be there in person, it’s the next best thing: A weekly dose of Happy Valley to kick off the football weekend. The show’s lovable cast of loyal Penn Staters features former Penn State and NFL defensive tackle Brandon Noble, beloved campus icon Mike the Mailman, former Onward State managing editor Kevin Horne, and six-time Sam’s Club member Chris Buchignani. 

Filmed from Champs Downtown, one of the most iconic college bars and recognizable locations in Happy Valley, each weekly episode features not just lively commentary on the games, but also lifestyle features, town and campus interest stories, interviews with former Penn State players, and some sports wagering tips from Mike the Mailman. Our show thrives because it is different. It is engaging because it allows viewers to enjoy a spontaneous, frivolous, and contagious peek into a world that feels an awful lot like four guys simply enjoying themselves while talking college football. The on-field exploits of the Nittany Lions are the focus, but the chemistry between the show’s hosts and the raw honesty stemming from their genuine love of school, team, and place are what distinguish Obligatory from the usual cookie cutter fare.