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00:00Let's get right into it. We have got some college football playoff games this evening, and then we go with a full schedule of games on New Year's Day, and it'll be later this evening, 730 Eastern, 430 Pacific, Penn State, and Boise State.
00:16And the Nittany Lions, we have not yet seen a whole lot of line movement just yet. About 11.5 point favorites are the Nittany Lions, and it's pretty much been stuck there so far.
00:27What are your thoughts on this one? A big favorite out of the Big Ten taking on a group out of the Big Five, and Ashton Gentee, the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy vote.
00:35Yeah, well, Gentee, does he make this a game? He is the X Factor. Here's a guy that went for 192 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon earlier this season, and when you watch him play, he's a high-volume ball carrier.
00:48You know, they'll be three yards, three yards, four yards, and then all of a sudden he busts a 40-yard run. Can they maintain that stay-on schedule against a very aggressive and the best run defense that he has faced all season in Penn State?
01:02And then on the other side, do the Nittany Lions just dominate on the ground like they did in the first round with Nick Singleton and Katron Allen, and then Drew Aller makes a few plays over the top?
01:11I do think this will be a competitive game. I flip-flopped on it, I'll be honest, but I got Boise State covering the big number, but I don't see a path that Penn State doesn't win the game. By the way, both of these teams have never lost the Fiesta Bowl. I think that's a very interesting stat.
01:27That is, and of course we remember so many years of Boise State and the trick plays there when Chris Peterson was at the helm. Earlier this season, we saw Boise State be extremely competitive against the Oregon Ducks, and then Penn State Head Coach James Franklin kind of has that label of not being able to perform or suffering, struggling in big games.
01:50Do you possibly see that playing out here? Is this another spotlight game where he might struggle a bit?
01:56Well, for all the talk about that, he takes care of business when he's a favorite. Over the last three years, 24-9-1 against the spread is a favorite. Only one straight-up loss, and that was to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl last year as a favorite.
02:09In that game, Olufosano didn't play. There were several guys on both sides. It was one of those opt-in, opt-out type games. For all the criticisms of James Franklin, I'll give him this. He takes care of business when he is supposed to, and I think they do in this case.
02:24We've talked so much about how Penn State had this easy path to the playoff. Well, I'll give him a little bit of credit for taking advantage of it. I think they get on to the semifinals.