Early March seems like a good time for the first post of 2013, eh?

Truth be told, things have been very hectic in the Doghouse lately.  Not so much from a blog standpoint, but in a real life standpoint.

A few weeks ago, Mrs Rowlff Dogg landed a big promotion that is moving us to enemy territory.  Michigan to be exact.  We will be joining the likes of @PSUMatt2005 and @DAWalenga in the Penn State takeover of The Great Lakes State.

So what does this mean to you, loyal reader?  First of all, it means that my posts will be few and far between over the next few months.  Fear not, for Twitter will serve as my outlet for hatred, sarcasm, Rodney Erickson jokes, and Walking Dead observations.

When we broke the news to family and friends, we hadn’t told anyone about the interview, thus our relocation came as a shock.  Naturally, the question about Pellagate’s future came up.  Actually, it came up pretty quickly.  Like, “do you only care about our tailgate?” kind of quickly…

@UTrain_vgo declared Pellagate was “dead” upon learning of our move via text.  While his prediction has Pellagate on life support, there is hope.  Veterans such as himself, @t_money495, and @joeyp42 have the experience, dedication, and vehicles to make it work.  Of course, our house in Bellefonte made life a lot easier for those oft-travelled road warriors.  Family members such as @ShawnGuinan, his parents, and my parents also are up to the task.  They’re well-versed in what goes into a typical Pellagate and most importantly, they’re capable of getting up early enough to make it happen.  @tgiannetta, not so much…

Who knows what the future of our tailgate holds?  Like everything else in my life right now, it’ll be a new, exciting experience.  Especially since @KellieGuinan won’t need to devote insane hours to prepare for the weekly extravaganzas.  Also, for the first time since I’ve known her, we will actually have free weekends in the fall.  Naturally, this means I’ll have a DVR full of other games, but it’ll be worth it to see what autumn looks like outside of Happy Valley.

As thrilled as I am with opening a new chapter in my life, I’m nervous about watching that first Beaver Stadium game that I am not a part of.  Since I was 6 years old, I have only missed 2 home games.  Will I get the shakes?  Will I cry?  Will I receive dozens of voicemails from the Pellagate crew?  I’ll just have to wait and see.

Over the years, Pellagate has had countless visitors and contributors.  Because of our size and outgoing nature (and generosity with the PBR), we have met plenty of great visiting fans.  Alabama and Iowa are the two fan bases that stand out.  Although the fact that we had one Pitt alumnus at a tailgate probably means I can consider him their “fan base.”  If that’s the case, Pitt wins since we’ve been friends since high school.

1.  Pitt fan

2.  Alabama fans

3.  Iowa fans with the crazy striped overalls

Thanks to social media and the whole internet craze, a lot of our visitors came via Twitter and the blog.  We got to know lots of fans, students, alumni, and all-around great people.  The sheer volume of such folks, combined with an increasingly hazy memory of names/Twitter handles makes them impossible to list.  Please know that your presence was always appreciated and the memories are always fond.  However, there are a few peeps that we got to hang out beyond the confines of Pellagate that deserve special mention.

Onward State giving JoePa's Doghouse some dap!

@drewBbalis has enjoyed many a drink with me and the Mrs at downtown establishments.  He’s a great dude and always seems to have a funny story to tell us.  Captain Onward State has his finger on the campus pulse and makes us feel young again when he gets into the trials and tribulations of college life.  We’ll never forget watching Drew and his (dare I say) sidekick @RBecklerPSU climbing over the fence to reach our Ohio State tailgate.

@TimTolleyFS made an immediate impression by bringing good bottles of beer to Pellagate.  (Hint: this is excellent tailgate etiquette)  Tim’s recruiting knowledge makes it hard for him to escape me and my father’s endless questions.  It is always great to pick Tim’s brain about Penn State, but he’s a groovy dude just to hang around with.  While he always seems to have a Plinko chip, I don’t think he’s ever had to do anything worse than call @UTrain_vgo.  Oh, and major bonus points for having a cool wife who went to Ohio State.  We didn’t know that was possible.

@evilbillobrien was perhaps the most anticipated Pellagate visitor ever.  Especially since @itsmeleighton never showed up… The man of mystery certainly did not disappoint.  Although he did get off on the wrong foot by being on the first team to beat me and @psubarton in beer pong in 2012.  If you have never met him, let me tell you that the wittiness of Evil Bill’s tweets does not stop there.  He’s a sharp dude who will definitely leave you laughing.  We had the pleasure of bar-hopping with Evil Bill and his better (less evil?) half a few months ago and it was a blast.

@The_Nit might be the only regular guest who had an impact on the Plinko board.  His Beachbody salesmanship got us into P90x and various other programs.  As a result, physical exercises found their way upon the board.  Warrior 3 is a bee-yotch when you’ve had a few beers, but it’s darn funny to watch other people try.  Geoff is probably the longest tenured Pellagater who we met through Twitter.  To his credit, he has hung out with us in real life too and he keeps coming back for more.  I guess that says something about us.  Or him.  Upon finding out that we’re moving to Michigan and wouldn’t have our usual set-up, Geoff promptly invited us to his Blue-White tailgate.  That’s the kind of guy he is.  Thanks, man!

We would like to thank everyone who has made it to one of our tailgates over the past six seasons.  We look forward to seeing all of you again, site to be determined.

Neither Mark Emmert nor a move to Michigan will kill Pellagate.

As far as the upcoming seasons, @KellieGuinan and I will return to a game or two each year.  We will also be attending several away games since we’re smack dab in the middle of B1G country now.  We’ll both remain active on Twitter and once we settle down, I’ll pick up with the JPDH posts again.  So if you’re headed to an away game, let us know.  We might be there too.

To reiterate, Pellagate is not dead.  It is losing its two biggest assets- @KellieGuinan and our house.  Three, if you count the beer pong table.  Four of the Top 15 assets if you include me.  What became a routinely 30+ person weekly event grew from the humble beginnings of @KellieGuinan and I sitting under the Music Building trees with our green folding picnic table and a tiny cooler.  It had to start somewhere.  Where it picks up from here remains to be seen.

College football's regular season has come and gone.  The bowls are still a few days away.  So, how are we supposed to pass the time?

I'm still a bit bummed about Tim Frazier's injury, so I've turned to Streaming Netflix.  Recently, I've had the pleasure of watching three excellent shows: Blue Mountain State, Archer, and thanks to @t_money495 's suggestion: Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.

Do yourself a favor and check it out.

In the meantime, we invite you to play along with the doggs in our annual bowl challenge.  Winner gets to say they found Todd and the Book of Pure Evil all by themselves.

Click Here To Join

Group Name:  The Bowl of Pure Evil

Password: Crowley

I threw this one together in the small gap of time that my holiday travel and tailgate preparations allowed.

However, The Underdogs and J Schnauzer came out guns a-blazin, so enjoy!

As always, Adam from Black Shoe Diaries has some more questions this week. Be sure to head on over to BSD later this week for a “greatest hits” of sorts. In the meantime, check out what these peeps are saying:

Victory Bell Rings
Nittany Lions Den
Black Shoe Diaries
The 50-Yard Lion

Follow the jump to read us doggs’ thoughts…

Question #1 Michael Mauti. Discuss his legacy.

The Underdogs: The most important player in PSU history? No, 42 should not be retired. Not allowing anybody to wear it isn't honoring it like holding that number in similar esteem (if not greater) than 11 and 31 (and as somebody pointed out on twitter 11+31=42. Math!) Mauti may have been injured too often to really make his mark on the field, during seasons that didn't count, but he will be important forever, a martyr, like Obiwan Kenobi, stronger in death (penalty) than Darth Emmert could ever imagine. Of course, the generational nature of this analogy hinges upon the next gen of players, the Brenemans and Hackenbergs as the New Hope, the bridge from past to future. Just in time for Disney to turn the story into a made for TV movie.

Rowlff Dogg: Mike Mauti embodies everything that makes me proud to be a Penn Stater. Ten years from now, when talking about Penn State legends, the name “Mauti” will be followed with a slight pause and a bright smile before the superlatives spew out of my mouth.

J Schnauzer: A real-life tragic hero in the mold of Seneca or Geothe. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but viewed solely from the perspective of college football, he has endured more than anyone else in memory. His grace, class, and skill has shone through it all. Maybe he's not the best linebacker in Penn State history, but he may well be the greatest linebacker in Penn State history.

Question #2 The Big Ten just added two new teams this week - Maryland and Rutgers. What are your thoughts? Who are the next targets?

The Underdogs: On the surface, the B..!..G made a critical error in judgment. They have made the direct trade of providing charity ward to two feeble, decrepit university athletic programs in exchange for DC and NY/NJ television markets. With upcoming TV negotiations, the bet is that these two markets will help move the BTN to a lower (higher?), more basic cable package, thus guaranteeing it on more TVs, therefore more money for the 14 athletic programs. I'm skeptical. These are markets PSU already has a strong presence, though perhaps it's possible MD and SUNJ tip the balance. Because it makes so little sense, reaching out to indifferent TV markets while not at all "strengthening the brand," there may just be a Machiavellian aspect to the B1G's power play. There are three stable conferences. We might as well call them the alphas (B1G, SEC, and PAC) providing the gravitational pull drawing and quartering all the lesser conferences. The B1G clearly likes to be the instigator rather than react. By destabilizing the lesser conferences, they force the hand of other more desirable, wealthier schools to find stable homes. However, the two biggest fish, Texas and Notre Dame, would have to humble themselves and kiss Delaney's ring. Texas burned too many bridges within the B1G power structure and likely doesn't care much that it's in flames, except to indifferently roast some frog and jayhawk carcass while polishing their ESPN provided gold bar belt buckle. Notre Dame on the other hand remains a possibility with the B1G kneecapping the ACC Notre Dame just joined, immediately triggering the musical chairs discussion of VoTech, GaTech, and Clemson to the SEC. Comcast seems to hold all the cards in this scenario with ND's NBC deal expiring in 2015. Comcast may not be as eager to take a loss on ND football that a handful of ND alums at NBC sports were. With all that said and while it's a possibility, I expect Pitt and Syracuse to the be the final two when Notre Dame and Texas make deals with the devil (each other) to rule over the flyover bible belt.

Rowlff Dogg: The other doggs did a bang up job on this one, so I’ll keep it simple.

I understand the money aspect of it. I love that we are in the most stable, lucrative conference. However, I only care about going to away games. Maryland and Rutgers may as well be Tel Aviv and Chernobyl. I have no desire to go to either place and watch Penn State play the caliber of opponent that Tim Curley routinely stuck us with in the out-of-conference schedule. Yuck.

As for the future expansion? Give me North Carolina because I’d love to check out Chapel Hill. And in the spirit of good tailgates, why not Georgia Tech? For once, we’d just be able to arrive and have the relatives do all the work.

J Schnauzer: I think there are two viable types of candidates for the Big Ten: schools that can pack an 80,000-seat stadium now (Nebraska), and schools that can conceivably pack an 80,000-seat stadium in a few years with the resources provided by the conference (Missouri). It's a stretch that Maryland can someday become a 80K locale, but if it were paired with a Florida State or Texas it would have been far more palatable. They were added with Rutgers, which makes this whole thing a joke. Adding Rutgers to get a better market presence is like dumping bicycles on a horse farm to get faster thoroughbreds. They have no relationship to the Big Ten and look like nothing more than dead weight. One positive: I look forward to when Ohio State and Rutgers announce their new rivalry trophy: The Old Oaken Camaro.

As for future targets: a good commissioner is always one step ahead of conventional thinking, and Jim Delaney has been hinting that he is continuing to look eastward at expansion targets. I think Jim Delaney surprises the NCAA establishment and adds the Universidade dos Açores (the only public university in the Azores island chain) and the University of Iceland (go runnin' Bjorks!) to the Big Twixteen in three years. Doing so will being expand the Big Ten's TV reach eastward to include the entire North Atlantic Ocean.

Question #3 Wisconsin has been a bit of an enigma this year and the quarterback situation has been hit or miss. What do you expect to see from the Badgers this week?

The Underdogs: When they lose, they lose miserable slugfests against solid teams. In fact, they haven't beaten a single decent team with the possible exception of Utah State (yes, they're 9-2, but Utah State!). We're a decent team albeit a likely tired, worn down one from attrition and everything else. Against decent teams, Wisconsin can't throw the ball. They want to drag you into a mudfight. So we have to stop the run, which won't be easy particularly without Mauti. The best way to stop the run will be to score points and force Wisconsin to play catch up. The key to the game is McGloin, another fast start, and playing without mistakes. If we get up early we can get the ball out of Montee Ball's hands and make Bucky zero dimensional.

Rowlff Dogg: I expect to see a bunch of holding penalties go unnoticed by the refs. I expect Bret Bielema to look like a brainless douchebag. I expect Montee Ball to change the pronunciation of his name 4-5 times throughout the game.

J Schnauzer: Enigmatic is exactly right. I can't get a bead on how they will play, so I'll assume they'll be the team that relies on running plays to keep them in the game. I think they will fall behind, only to charge back in the game in the final quarter.

Question #4 Prediction?

The Underdogs: Do you trust McGloin? I know he's had a great year, but Matt does have a tendency to giveth and taketh away, at particularly excruciating moments. I have more confidence in Bert and Wisconsin's ability to make this an ugly game than McGloin can control it. As much as I'd love for this to be one of those end-of-season emotional snowball blowouts, this one will come down to the wire. What would top the season better than to have Sam Ficken win it at the end 26-24?

Rowlff Dogg: Penn State 31, Wisconsin 20. Just remember, Full House fans, that Vanilla Weasels > Chocolate Badgers.

J Schnauzer: A charged up atmosphere and the capstone celebration of a season that will never be forgotten. Penn State 29, Wisconsin 28.

Holding! On the drinker. 15 sips from the spot of the foul!

If people wonder why we drink, they need look no further than the boys in the stripes last week.

This week we will drink because it’s fun and because all the help in the world won’t mean a lick to the outmatched Hoosiers.

As these or other pre-determined drinks occur, tweet ‘em and hashtag #BlackoutTheSanctions

1 DRINK

Every time Bill Belton carries the ball.

For every Steven Bench snap.

For every tackle by a Penn State defensive back.

1 SHOT

Every time a holding penalty is called against Indiana.

For every Jesse Della Valle punt return greater than 5 yards.

For every Jesse Della Valle kick return past the 25 yard line.

CHUG

Indiana’s uniforms resemble Oklahoma’s. So, chug every time #19 in white is on tv.

For every second Ted Roof’s perilously dangling glasses are shown on tv.

FAMOUS ALUMNUS VAMPIRE SOCIAL

Twilight. Chances are, you’ll be flipping from game to game when Penn State is on commercial break. Inevitably, you’ll land on a Twilight trailer. Raise a glass and tweet #TeamAlice

DRINK OF THE WEEK

The Bloomington.
In honor of the Hoosiers’ hometown, we present “The Bloomington.”

Step 1: Order a Boddingtons Pub Ale
Step 2: Order a Bloomin’ Onion
Step 3: Put a chunk of the Bloomin’ Onion into your Boddingtons.

Who knows, that foul English swill might actually taste better with some onion in it.

DRINK EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE

If defensive tackle DaQuan transfers to the opposing team during warm-ups. He then rips off his Penn State uniform to reveal a leather jacket, fedora, and a whip. Once he declares himself “Indiana Jones,” he gets chased into the tunnel by a giant boulder.

Thirsty? Help us fight sobriety by tweeting at us throughout the game:
@RowlffDogg
@_TheUnderdogs_
@Jschnauzer

The Roundtable was originally going to be posted yesterday, but it was HELD up by the Big Ten refs. Surely, if Penn State players so much as looked at this post, I’d be typing 15 yards behind my computer.

Someone who we never has to worry about the refs, Adam from Black Shoe Diaries has some more questions this week. Be sure to head on over to BSD later this week for a “greatest hits” of sorts. In the meantime, check out what these peeps are saying:

Victory Bell Rings
Nittany Lions Den
Black Shoe Diaries
The 50-Yard Lion

Follow the jump to read us doggs’ thoughts…

Question #1 We have to start with officiating. One offensive holding called in our favor since the Northwestern game. The sideline encroachment penalty after the punt. The Matt Lehman touchdown that wasn't. What's going on here?

The Underdogs: Objection: leading question. /pleads fifth.

Rowlff Dogg: I’ve had a DVR for a very long time. The Nebraska game was the first time I didn’t have the stomach to re-watch. I have no words to describe what has been going on since we joined the Big Ten. Heck, just imagine how Minnesota must feel. They’ve had 2 blown calls go against them while playing Hated Penn State (1997, 2006).

The best way to deal with the biased officiating and pro-Michigan/pro-Ohio State campaigning is to beat them. Beat them often. Beat them bad.

Unfortunately, the biggest pisser about the sanctions is that we have to continue to wait. Since the late 90’s, it was obvious that Penn State would never dominate the Big Ten with JoePa in control. Now we finally have a very good coach, but his hands are tied for quite a while. Grrrr!

J Schnauzer: The problem with officiating conspiracy theories is that they always come after games, never before. Prove that there is an ongoing conspiracy, or prove that it is occurring to Penn State and no one else in the league, or explicitly state what concerns you about the upcoming Indiana and Wisconsin crews. If you can not, then the harsh reality is that Big Ten refs are erratic and incompetent.

Question #2 Penn State came out swinging and built a strong lead in the first half, but collapsed in the second, particularly on defense. What happened there? What accounts for the kinds of lapses that Penn State has exhibited in third quarters all year?

The Underdogs: I don't know. Does anybody know? If you've got ideas I suggest you direct them to BOB's email account where they'll immediately wind up in a spam folder designated for automatic responses stating something along the lines of, "we're just focusing on the next game. Thanks for your interest." With respect to JSchnauzer's accusation that "nobody complains about officiating conspiracy before games," PSU getting the raw end of bad calls at critical moments of important games is as inevitable as our lazy 3rd quarter performances. But what are YOU going to do about it? I have a tendency to start fast with my gameday drinking and slow as the game unfolds and my pacing nerves give way to ennui/ecstasy (depending on how the game is going). So surely our fates are somehow cosmically connected. With the early kickoff this weekend, I'll pace myself early and hit the accelerator at half-time to do my part. Problem solved.*

*Promise voided if PSU happens to be trailing in the 1st half to Indiana.

Rowlff Dogg: The excellent numbers Penn State has put up in the first quarter makes their lousy numbers in the third quarter so perplexing. Clearly, the coaches can gameplan an opponent. So, what are they doing in the locker room- drinking milk and petting kittens?

Are NFL halftimes 30 minutes long? If so, perhaps no one bothered to tell Bill O’Brien that college halftimes are only 20 minutes. That’s the best explanation I’ve got.

J Schnauzer: Depth. Less-than-great teams have a habit of keeping it close in the first half before allowing mistakes in concentration and experience get the better of them. The starting players Penn State has are great, but the transfers are taking their toll. These 3rd quarter collapses will only become more regular in the following years.

Question #3 Indiana's offense has put up big numbers against many teams this year. How will Penn State try to quiet the Hoosiers?

The Underdogs: Ideally, doing what Wisconsin did and pounding the ball for Nebraska circa mid-nineties ungodly levels of rushing yards.

Rowlff Dogg: The key is to play level-headed and not let Indiana capitalize on players’ lingering Nebraska frustrations. The talent difference is enough for Penn State to play within itself and win handily. Despite some nice Indiana point totals, there is no need to do anything special in order for a Penn State victory.

J Schnauzer: Play solid defense throughout the game.

Question #4 Prediction?

The Underdogs: We lack the predictable and dependable grind of Wisconsin, but we can still run the ball well enough to keep Indiana's passing game off the field and in perpetual catch up mode. Indiana scores a few late to make it closer than it should be, 35-29. And in proper respect of that score, the NCAA and B..!..G (my new, preferred method of spelling knuckle-knuckle-finger-knuckle-knuckle) tack on a few more punitive measures for the offseason.

Rowlff Dogg: Penn State 40, Indiana 17. In other battles this weekend, I predict the Cullens will triumph over the Volturi.

J Schnauzer: The streak goes on. Penn State 34, Indiana 22.

Goddammit! 1994!!!

There are plenty of things to hate in the Big Ten. Those pukes who border us on the west. Those ass-rats that call themselves wolverines. That scumbag coach at ________ (fill in the blank- Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan State…)

But none of those jerks cheated the greatest offense of all time out of a national championship via the sympathy train. Ok, maybe some did since it just so happens that said train rode through Ohio on a 4-0 vote. Hey Brutus, 63-14!!!!!

At least we’re still not bitter, right?

As these or other pre-determined drinks occur, tweet ‘em and hashtag #BlackoutTheSanctions

1 DRINK

Every time Bo Pelini looks like a dumbass.

For every Gerald Hodges tackle.

Every time Penn State’s OLine/backs pick up a blitz

1 SHOT

For every mention of Tom Osborne. Drink 5 shots if the announcers mention how he allowed Lawrence Phillips to play in the 1995 Orange Bowl.

If Bubba Starling is mentioned, do a Tweet-shot with @JSchnauzer, our resident Royals fan.

CHUG

For the amount of time Taylor Martinez lies on the ground.

If you are wearing more clothes than Craig Fitzgerald, chug for every second he is on tv.

FAMOUS ALUMNUS SOCIAL

Johnny Carson. Raise your glass for every tackle Glenn Carson makes.

DRINK OF THE WEEK

The Blackshirt.
Nebraska’s defense is known as the “black shirts” because they didn’t get color television in Lincoln until 1998. The “Blackshirt” drink pays homage to those who watched Wings in black&white.

Step 1: Wear a white shirt
Step 2: Order a Guinness
Step 3: Spill the Guinness all over your shirt
Step 4: Wring out your shirt into the opposite sex’s mouth
Step 5: Let us know what happens.

DRINK EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE

If Lawrence Phillips goes the entire game without raping, killing, stealing, or drug-dealing.

Thirsty? Help us fight sobriety by tweeting at us throughout the game:
@RowlffDogg
@_TheUnderdogs_
@Jschnauzer

After 10 weeks, we’ve finally added some new peeps to the fold. Let’s welcome Victory Bell Rings to the Roundtable!

Like anyone who is late to the party, I assume they made up for their tardiness by bringing the beer. So, I’ll wait patiently by my mailbox for that Christmas variety pack…

Someone who we never have to wait on, Adam from Black Shoe Diaries has some more questions this week. Be sure to head on over to BSD later this week for a “greatest hits” of sorts. In the meantime, check out what these peeps are saying:

Victory Bell Rings
Nittany Lions Den
Black Shoe Diaries
The 50-Yard Lion

Follow the jump to read us doggs’ thoughts…

Question #1 Purdue seemed to catch Penn State sleeping on their first drive of the game, and the team looked a bit sluggish early in the game. Was this an Ohio State hangover? Or have teams begun to catch on to the Penn State game plan?

The Underdogs: No. That's Purdue's plan. Lull opponents into a daze by their inherent Purdue-ishness then strike like an Egyptian Asp. Except they're engineers and spelling isn't their strong suit so all they got was Egyptian ass.

Rowlff Dogg: Penn State hase come out of the gate strong this year (yet another nice thing about the new staff). Eventually, they were bound to stall early on. Nevertheless, the conversions were there for the taking, but a dropped pass and a rushed throw resulted in 2 stalled drives. No hangover. No expert scheming by Purdue. Just the way college football goes sometimes.

J Schnauzer: It was random chance fused with a bit of chaos theory and live load projections. It made the engineers salivate, only to see the whole thing collapse like the Tacoma Narrows bridge. By extension, Matty Mac is the harmonizing wind and Danny Hope is the dude stumbling away from his doomed car.

Question #2 Matt McGloin passed Kerry Collins this week for most 300 yard passing games by a Nittany Lion. Assess McGloin midway through the season. Is he really the Big Ten's best passer? Or is his success more based on Bill O'Brien's offensive scheme?

The Underdogs: Big Ten's best passer is like asking who the best QB on the Jets is. In fact, Goin Derp could probably start for the Jets. McGloin does have some positive traits and always has, but they were poorly understood and coalesced into the system previously. Weird thing is, his one biggest strength (only?) use to be hot reads and now it seems to be the biggest weakness. I don't really blame the line either as they seem to be sliding and adjusting much better than early in the season, but since OSU teams have been bringing more than we can block leaving it up to the QB and receiver to be on the same page and exploit the D's aggression. I hope this has been worked on all week.

Rowlff Dogg: The Big Ten has been so terrible this year that I rarely watch the other teams play. College football is too short to waste on bad football. Therefore, my assessment of Matt McGloin being the Big Ten’s best passer doesn’t carry the necessary weight to ring true. He has surpassed my expectations in every regard this year. Heck, he even won me over as a fan which has led to many disputes within my tailgating circles.

The bottom line is this: McGloin (and the offense) doesn’t improve this dramatically without Bill O’Brien and his offensive braintrust. The entire staff has done a remarkable job and there is no better example of it than McGloin.

J Schnauzer: It's based on coaching and schemes. BOB has turned JayPa's poultry excrement of a quarterback into chicken salad. Like chicken salad, McGloin will satisfy you without thrilling you. I don't know if that makes him the best, but being the "least bad" quarterback in the Big Ten is both acceptable and befitting the conference.

Question #3 Nebraska was held in check for most of the game by a stout Michigan State defense. Can Penn State have sustained success against Taylor Martinez and the Cornhusker offense? What does Penn State have to do to be successful?

The Underdogs: Having Jordan 'More Mountain than' Hill back will be paramount. The guy is a monster and I've been telling anybody that will listen (read: nobody) that he's been our best D-Lineman and possibly best defensive player the past two seasons. Eats up blocks for others and sheds single blocking like a drunk does clothes during the Mifflin Streak. Simple answer, make T-Mart, the homeless version of Denard/Braxton beat us through the ear and give up no big special teams plays.

Rowlff Dogg: I feel like I have become a broken record with my defensive suggestions, but it remains very simple: continue to play like you have been playing. Taylor Martinez is very mistake prone. He is also probably not going to beat you solely with his arm. Keep a basic contain on him, bring a variety of blitzes to keep him off-guard, and force him to play perfect to beat you.

After last week’s excellent tackling performance by the defensive backs, I think we can afford to be even more aggressive on the blitzes.

Oh yeah, and when a ball hits a defensive back in the hands, CATCH IT!

J Schnauzer: I think blitz packages will prove successful against Martinez. As proof, I submit every game where Martinez has faced blitz packages.

Question #4 Prediction?

The Underdogs: Last team to score wins. 31-27. I'll flip a coin. Heads is for Nebraska and all the heads Lo Phillips and Christian Peter used to kick in during steroid-fueled rage binges. Tails is for PSU and the amount of Nebraska tail PSU would've kicked in '94. Coin says tail. Don't tempt the fates Bo.

Rowlff Dogg: The TRUE 1994 National Champions 31, The Tom Osborne Sympathy Vote Receivers 16.

J Schnauzer: Penn State 29, Nebraska 25, Bo Pelini camera shots of him looking stupified 37.

Boiler Up! Drink It Down!

As yes, it’s Purdue week. You can tell by all the, um, excitement?

Nevertheless, it’s still college football. A commodity we won’t have in 2+ months. Let’s cherish it while we still can.

As these or other pre-determined drinks occur, tweet ‘em and hashtag #BlackoutTheSanctions

1 DRINK

Every Mauti tackle.

For every yard our punt returners gain.

Every time Ted Roof is on camera. #ROOFBALL

Every time you hear: “Boiler Up”

1 SHOT

For every different Penn State tight end who catches a pass.

Every time Graham Spanier’s name is mentioned.

CHUG

For the duration the camera stays on people who are dressed in costumes.

For the amount of time the announcers talk about the Alabama-L$U game.

FAMOUS ALUMNUS SOCIAL

Jim Gaffigan. Take a drink for every towhead you spot during the game.

DRINK OF THE WEEK

Cracker’s Delight. An old college chum named Slaughter came up with this peculiar drink. It consists of 2 ingredients: Mountain Dew and Southern Comfort.

Step 1: “Pour Dew” into a glass.
Step 2: Pour Soco into the same glass.
No measurements, just eyeball it according to your desired intoxication level.

DRINK EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE

If Jim Delany offers an apology for the blatantly awful refs last week. Heck, if that happens, you can drink everything in my house too.

Thirsty? Help us fight sobriety by tweeting at us throughout the game:
@RowlffDogg
@_TheUnderdogs_
@Jschnauzer

A week after such a highly anticipated game, the possibility of a letdown always exists.

Of course, the conference schedule makers did us no favors by throwing “the Temple of the Big Ten” at our feet, merely one week after Ohio State. Think about it- we play Purdue every year and the games are always boring and far from memorable. Blah.

Someone who never elicits a “blah,” good ol Adam from Black Shoe Diaries has some more questions this week. Be sure to head on over to BSD later this week for a “greatest hits” of sorts. In the meantime, check out what these peeps are saying:

Nittany Lions Den
Black Shoe Diaries
The 50-Yard Lion

Follow the jump to read us doggs’ thoughts…

Question #1 What are your thoughts on the loss to Ohio State on Saturday night?

The Underdogs: Winning 12 against 16 is never easy, so I'm not terribly deflated despite being incredibly disappointed in the B1G's decision to send referines dressed as nuts to State College for a Halloween surprise. The game seemed a bit like the microcosm of the entire offseason, which I'm wondering is affecting the psychology of the squad. Although resilient and optimistic, one break after another kept going against us, whether it was of our own doing or not, ultimately leading to deflation and acceptance. Based on our per quarter scoring, it seems as though the staff and team gameplan and prepare well (we get off to fast starts), then opponents make adjustments at halftime (outscoring us in 3rd), and then we re-adjust and win 4th Q. However, vs OSU we got off to a fast start in everything except scoring. Missed a few big opportunities, then the defensive holding on the punt, ultimately leading to OSU's tying score before half really seemed to deflate the team and shift momentum. Had we been up 14-0, 17-7, or 21-0, fully taking advantage of our 1st half opps, the score could've and probably should've been different. Moving the ball isn't so great if you can't score the ball. Then you're just Arsenal (a reference completely lost on Rowlff since it has nothing to do with pirates, teeny bopper movies, or death metal).

Rowlff Dogg: You can’t win them all. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the opposing team. Ohio State won both lines of scrimmage and blitzed very effectively. Penn State had plenty of opportunities, but never was able to make the big play. The talent disparity between the two teams is only going to widen over the next few years, so I’m hopeful that Penn State’s staff learned from this loss and will use it to make themselves better coaches down the road.

J Schnauzer: I'd be lying if said I wasn't disappointed, but this is more an indication that Ohio State is further along in its redevelopment than Penn State. It's not too surprising to see the Buckeyes find a way to win despite limitations. What's frustrating is that any other year I would say, "we'll get them next year," but unfortunately this may be the closest we'll get to a win over Ohio State in the next five years.

Question #2 Penn State has had some trouble with referees before, and there are plenty who are willing to discuss it again this week. How poor was Saturday night's officiating? Did it cost us the game? Does it impact the Big Ten's reputation?

The Underdogs: It will not impact the reputation at all because we're so used to it, everyone within our conference is so used to us bitching about it, and everyone outside of the conference doesn't give a shit. Proceed as normal. They were bad, but the big ten has always been lenient about holding. There is a reason NFL types have said before they have had to completely re-coach Michigan linemen how to block. While I've never seen such blatant holding go uncalled (exception: Courtney Brown), I did not see much of the utterly indefensible calls we've seen in the past: Eddie George fumbling in '95 being ruled down - TD pass to Terry Glenn on the next play, the entire '05 Michigan game including the blatant plus1 spots for them and minus1 spots for us any Alabama fan would appreciate, Tony Johnson called out of bounds in '02, or the OSU tight end clearly dropping the ball in front of the ref being ruled a catch. Those? There were none of those. In this game, OSU just got away with more holding than we did and were more aggressive in taking advantage of officiating incompetence.

Rowlff Dogg: The referees were terrible. Mike Mauti wasn’t held on Braxton Miller’s touchdown scramble. He was sacked, pillaged, plundered, full-nelsoned, and disemboweled, all while watching his dog get killed.

But no, the poor officiating did not cost us the game. The refs did not prevent an easy McGloin-to-Robinson touchdown on the first drive. They did not cause SOA to drop a gift pick-six. They did not force a terrible pick-six from McGloin to start the second half.

As for the Big Two’s reputation? Nah, the refs’ bias does nothing to dim the luster of the Big Ohio-Michigan Conference…

J Schnauzer: There were some bad calls, but this game broke open wide enough to make me feel the Buckeye would have won even without the unfortunate calls. The referees have no impact on the Big Ten's reputation: the fact that both teams were ineligible from the two highest profile scandals in recent history had an impact on the Big Ten's reputation.

Question #3 Purdue comes into the game this week after a brutal loss to Minnesota, followed by a rough statement by their athletic department. Is Danny Hope on the hot sat?

The Underdogs: Could this be a trap game? It could go one of two ways, the Purdue team steps up and tries to win one for the moustachioed Gipper or they roll over and die. However, these two things aren't mutually exclusive. See: last week's game vs OSU and every single Super Bowl blow-out. One team comes out amped and when things start going against them they snow ball and the believed inevitability and helplessness becomes reality.

Rowlff Dogg: Dare I say that Jerry “Kill-ed” Danny’s “Hope” of returning next year…

Purdue is a very tough school to win at consistently. I think Joe Tiller should get more retroactive credit than Danny Hope blame for the state of the Boilermakers right now.

J Schnauzer: Yes. Purdue should be challenging a weakened Badgers team for the divisional spot in the Championship game, but they almost gifted the whole thing to them before November.

Question #4 Prediction?

The Underdogs: The afforementioned happens, but how hyped can Purdue really get. Something about their field just puts me to sleep. EVEN THEIR FIELD IS BORING. Seriously, are half the B1G fields double sized with extra length grass or does the product on the field just make it seem that way? Neither would surprise me despite the NCAA's no fun regulations against alterations to field size and shape. Purdue wins only if the field is round this weekend. Rape Apologizing Culture Mongers 33, Dozy Engineers with a Big Drum to Keep Everyone Awake 9.

Rowlff Dogg: Penn State 44, Purdue 13. There will be no let down for this team.

J Schnauzer: Penn State rights the ship. PSU 45, Purdue 17

Don’t you hate when you wake up and get a whiff of a foul odor coming from the west. Many years ago, that used to be Pitt. Ever since 1993, however, Pitt’s cologne of mediocrity has been overwhelmed by the stench of the Buckeyes.

Their football team stinks. Their football coach stinks. Their fans stink. Their fans who actually graduated from Ohio State stink. Everything about them stinks.

Saturday, you might want to drink that extra tailgate drink on the off chance you end up next to one of those stinkbugs in Beaver stadium.

In the meantime, anybody hear any good Ohio State jokes lately....

Why did James Laurinaitis get sued by the fishing company?

He got credit for tackle he didn’t make.

In what movie did John Candy get stickers for completing the simplest tasks?

Uncle Buckeye.

Why do Ohio State football players use body-heat activated deodorant?

It’s the closest they’ll come to getting a “Degree.”

Where can you find Ohio State football players in the Star Wars universe?

”Tattoo”-ine.

That's right Terrelle, State College is too rural...

What do you call a Sikh who lies about spending more time with his family?

Turban Meyer.

Why did Terrelle Pryor get a “T” tattooed on his arm?

He was using it as a cheat sheet for an upcoming true-false test.

How can Penn State cornerbacks make sure Ohio State receivers never get the football?

Tell them it’s a diploma.

What did Gene Smith say when Gordon Gee asked him about using oregano as a Q-tip during a coaching search?

”I want herb in my ear.”

Enjoy this post? Follow me on Twitter for instant updates @RowlffDogg