How we doing everybody.
This is a Fox 54 web exclusive.
I'm Nick Kuzma that Simon Williams.
We're here to talk about a big game
between Auburn and Penn State.
Two very well known programs on
the back end of a home and home.
Simon first thoughts about the
Nittany Lions and the Tigers. I'm
so excited we get this match up.
It is a non conference campus site
game between Power 5 opponents.
It's only the second time that
they've played in the regular season.
The 4th all time matchup and
after last year's thriller
we're due for another good one.
Absolutely. Last year ending 28 to 20.
Of course, and what do you
what your take away from
that game that Auburn had
a chance to win the game
twice and didn't get it done?
Penn State survived.
Now, Penn State played a
really solid first half and let
Auburn get back into the game a little bit,
but it felt like Auburn just had
those chances and let them fall out of
their hands and that kind of fit the
bonics narrative throughout his entire
tenure as Auburn starting quarterback.
But we saw it most evidently last year.
They had two chances within
the Penn State 5 yard line,
defensively Auburn's own red zone,
and they didn't score a touchdown
either time and with an 8 point
margin. A victory for Penn State,
a touchdown could make the
difference, let alone two.
Yeah, eight point margin.
It was a one point margin going into
the fourth quarter of that game
and I think it's something really
interesting to bring up quarterback
play because that's obviously a
big question right now for Auburn.
You got two guys going in
there in Ashford and Finley,
but both of these guys been making mistakes.
I mean we're talking about each
had an interception in their
last game against SJSU.
What are your thoughts about that? No
one's really sure what the
quarterback is going to be.
I ideally in terms of the prototype,
the model, the archetype of the Auburn.
We're back because Calzada and
Finley and even Robbie Ashford,
they all offer different things,
different skill sets,
yet none of them has really been able
to assert themselves and really dictate
the offense based on their skill set.
It still feels like TJ Finley is their
number one guy on the depth chart,
but they used Ashford enough to show
that they want him in the rotation.
And the other side you have Penn
State who's got one quarterback.
Let's talk about it.
Well, he's been a six year player.
He started for the last four.
I mean he's he's been the guy
for Penn State's offense really
in every way passing and.
Rushing, he can get it done both ways.
He's a scrambler,
more so than a true running quarterback.
But Sean Clifford is as viable a candidate
for a Big 10 offensive player of the Year.
You know, quarterback kind
of player of the year,
Peyton Manning Award watch list type guy.
I'm not gonna say he's gonna
Heisman because, you know,
that usually means the team has got to,
you know, go undefeated or win
the national championship.
But he has the ability and certainly
to be an outstanding quarterback
and he has the receiving tools
and especially the running back
stable to help him out.
Maybe not a national championship,
but this. Well is a #22, right?
Penn State football team that's
coming down here to Alabama.
And one thing we gotta talk about is
the first two teams that came in here
in this first five home games at the
Tigers have they're gonna be teams
that are a little bit intimidated,
I think coming into Jordan Hare.
That's not the case of the Nittany Lions.
Fun fact, we're both Pennsylvania guys.
We both grew up in that state.
So we know a little bit about Penn State.
We know what Happy Valley can really
mean and it can really mean loud valley.
So I don't think these guys
would be scared at all.
Well, that's some of these guys have been
over the last week that they remember what
that white. About experience was like
at Penn State, the famed white out.
It was the largest crowd that an
Auburn team has ever played in
front of over 110,000 people at
Beaver Stadium up in State College.
It was the 10th largest crowd
in Penn State football history.
But so they they recognized that
it was a big time moment to play
in and they're going to counter it
themselves this week around with an all
orange afternoon. Now the question is,
are they going to the orange
jerseys to go with because Penn
State's rocking the road whites.
We know that for sure.
That's what they do all the time they do.
But is Auburn going to wear
the complementary orange?
I would love to see. I
think that be.
That would be a lot of fun.
You will be at that game.
The game will be at 2:30.
Let's have a little score prediction.
What are you thinking?
It feels like it's gonna be a bit
more high scoring than last year.
I'm thinking upper 30s for
whoever wins this game.
I wanna say Penn State 35, Auburn
283520. That's not a bad one.
I'm not going to quite go score,
but I think Penn State wins
this one by two scores.
I just have a bad feeling come out of SJSU.
As you all know, I worked in Wyoming before,
so a lot of Mountain West football.
San Jose State is by no means a team
that should be put in the shivers into.
CSCC team, and I mean,
that game was really close,
so maybe a bounce back, maybe not.
I'm thinking Penn State by two scores.
Any last thoughts on the game before we go?
And it's gonna be such
an awesome environment.
You know, the Auburn Faithful's
gonna come and meet this moment.
Let's hope the Tigers can do the same.
Absolutely. That's Simon Williams.
I'm Nick, who's with us a Fox 54
Webex exclusive. Enjoy the game.