Penn State coach Bill O’Brien sure enjoys it when the seasons change. Not just summer to fall. But nonconference to Big Ten. ”When the Big Ten season rolls around, fall is beginning, it’s a little cooler out,” O’Brien said, ”and the guys are very aware that is a very important time of the year. It starts with Indiana. I don’t know if there’s extra excitement, but there’s definitely a level of energy and alertness you start to see this time of year.” Penn State (3-1) heads to Indiana (2-2) trying for one more win to build a nice cushion before Michigan rolls in next week in front of a sold-out Beaver Stadium. The Big Ten has a stout first weekend ahead. Ohio State, Northwestern and Michigan are all undefeated and all eyes will be in Evanston, Ill., for the early-season conference game of the season. There might not be much suspense at Indiana. The Nittany Lions are 16-0 vs. Indiana and Penn State won last year, 45-22. The Nittany Lions were off last week – but still may have tallied their biggest win of the season. The NCAA restored some of the scholarships taken from the school as part of the punishment over the Jerry Sandusky scandal, phasing them until the school reaches normal totals in 2016-17. O’Brien, who has steadied the program in the wake of the scandal, had an extra selling point on the recruiting trail. ”I talked to a few of them, we’re only allowed one phone call a week right now,” he said. ”I think it’s positive, and it’s positive news for Penn State. Our guys feel good about it, but we’re focused on Indiana. Our guys are pleased with the news, but we’re focused on the Indiana game.” Penn State has had a nice start to the season, though no one will confuse Syracuse, Eastern Michigan and Kent State with any of the Big Ten teams out of Michigan and Ohio. O’Brien will put the class of the Big Ten up against just about any other conference in the nation. ”The Southeastern Conference is a fantastic league, nobody is going to debate that and probably the best in the country right now,” he said. ”But I think we have some really good players and some really good coaches in this league.” The Big Ten will get to showcase that ahead and these are five things to watch in the first full weekend of conference play: GAME OF THE WEEK: This is the game No. 16 Northwestern (4-0) has been waiting for all season, if not years…
Continue Reading: O’Brien ready to lead Penn State into Big 10 play
