In the forthcoming college playoffs, SMU is ranked eleventh and Penn State is ranked sixth.
On December 21, the two 11-2 teams square off at Beaver Stadium. At noon, kickoff will begin.
Will the visitors be prepared for the winter cold and the cacophony of over 110,000 supporters when they arrive at State College?
Rhett Lashlee, the head coach of SMU, thinks so.
In an interview with CBS Sports earlier this week, Lashlee stated, “I’ve never been to Happy Valley, and I’m excited for our kids to get a chance to compete in that kind of road environment.”
We’re currently on a 10-game winning streak on the road, so it would be fantastic to see if our guys could keep playing well while traveling. Being a noon kick is beneficial, most likely due to the crowd and weather.
In their last ten away regular-season games, the Mustangs have triumphed. However, Boston College defeated the Mustangs 23–14 in the 2023 Fenway Bowl, while SMU fell 34–31 to Clemson in last Saturday’s ACC championship game in Charlotte, North Carolina.
After SMU finished 8-0 in conference play, Lashlee, who was in his third year, was awarded ACC Coach of the Year. Lashlee stated that he is cautious about attempting to prepare for Andy Kotelnicki’s offense because he is acquainted with Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Following an outstanding tenure as offensive coordinator for Kansas, Kotelnicki is in his debut season with the Lions.
“I hold James (Franklin) in high regard,” Lashlee remarked.
Their defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, is someone I know well. They’re doing a lot of the same offensive plays they did against Kansas last season. They are engaging in a wide variety of unusual offensive actions. It will be challenging to get ready for.
At home, they will pose a defensive challenge. They have a large audience.
“Aside from more teams like us getting in, I think the best thing that this new playoff brings is first-round games on college campuses,” Lashlee continued. It’s fantastic, in my opinion.
I’m aware that we have to travel and that winning in that setting would be challenging, but we’re motivated.
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