Penn State faces SMU in 10 days; what is its main focus to start its CFP prep?
Penn State and SMU meet 10 days from Wednesday in a first round College Football Playoff matchup at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is set for Noon ET on Dec. 21. TNT is televising the contest. The No. 6 Nittany Lions and No. 11 Mustangs are both dealing with the same rest situation, as each played in its respective conference’s title game. James Franklin’s side fell to Oregon, which is the No. 1 overall seed in the 12-team CFP bracket, in the Big Ten title game, while Rhett Lashlee’s side fell to Clemson, which earned the No. 12 seed in the bracket by winning the ACC.
Both sides are gearing up for game day by beginning to get a feel for the other’s strengths and weaknesses while returning to the practice field. But, after playing an extra week, each is also specifically focused on health issues, too, as the game prep begins.
Penn State, SMU, to take similar approach to first weekof game prep
“This week will be a combination of, obviously, rest and recovery, getting a feel for who SMU is, kind of study on them, and then some self-study on ourselves as well,” Franklin said Sunday. “And then we’ll do some practice as well. Some of that will be more general, Penn State versus Penn State, almost like early bowl practices, almost like spring ball, where we’re just trying to get better at some areas that we think we have some room for improvement. And then obviously, you know, we’ll get into SMU. But this week will be most importantly about rest and recovery and getting a head start on these guys.”
Lashlee focused more on recruiting and the transfer portal without mentioning team health. But, surely the Mustangs will enjoy the rest and recovery time, too.
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“It’ll kinda, to some degree, be like a bye week was in the season for us,” Lashlee said. ‘This is almost like a bye week and then you got game week. The difference is the portal opens tomorrow. Thankfully, they changed the role where we don’t have to go out recruiting in December like we did two years ago when we were playing BYU on 13 days notice.
“So, we’ll be able to stay here, focus on our team. Hopefully keeping our guys together, being in the playoff helps, focus on preparation for Penn State while still recruiting transfers that want to come visit with the new way of things. So it’s going to be a busy 13 days, but, man, it’s a great problem to have for us.”
