When Penn State has struggled since joining the Big Ten fray in 1993, it’s been when the Nittany Lions have been unable to match-up with the league’s premier squads in the trenches. That’s why the feeling here is that you will be able to gauge how serious PSU is about contending for its second conference crown in three years by examining how the Lions fare up front – especially against legitimate contenders like Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

With three new starters and an entirely new rotation in the works, there are question marks along the defensive line. But the biggest challenge is on offense, where the Lions may be in better shape on paper than in reality.

Statistically, Penn State has three starters returning along the offensive line. But only center A.Q. Shipley is back at the same position. And the loss of bulldozing tackle Levi Brown to the NFL is going to be very difficult to overcome.

The left side is particularly suspect. Junior Gerald Cadogan is slated to fill in for Brown at tackle, but he had all sorts of trouble a year ago at guard and eventually lost the job. Redshirt freshman Lou Eliades beat out incumbent Rich Ohmberger at guard and could be a star someday. But he has zero college experience.

On the right side, senior John Shaw has been moved from tackle to guard to make room for promising sophomore Dennis Landolt. That move may pay dividends in November, but will it be a detriment when Penn State opens the Big Ten season on Sept. 22 in Ann Arbor? -- Neil Geoghegan

Some may consider it a stretch, but the feeling here is that there are some interesting similarities between the 2007 Nittany Lions and another recent Penn State squad.

The last time PSU had this many reliable starters returning and was still largely ignored in the preseason by the rest of the conference came in 2005. The Lions responded by going 11-1 and coming within one play of notching the sixth undefeated campaign of the Paterno Era.

At the Big Ten preseason get-together in Chicago earlier this month, the Lions were not picked to finish in the top-3 in a vote by the attending members of the media. The general consensus is that Penn State will finish in the 4th-5th place range.

“In 2005, we were picked seventh in the Big Ten,” recalled PSU wideout Derrick Williams. “(Predictions) really don’t matter. When the first game comes, we have to show everybody in the country what Penn State is all about.”

Despite similar dismissals from other players this summer, keep in mind that the ’05 squad used the Chicago diss as motivation, especially quarterback Michael Robinson, who went on to have, perhaps, the greatest single season of any PSU quarterback.

Can it happen again? Well, Robinson was a one of a kind talent and fiery leader, and there isn’t that type of figure on this year’s roster. However, look for the Lions to quietly and effectively refer back to the lack of respect issue just prior to playing the anointed three. It may not make a big difference when Penn State travels to Michigan, but it will when Wisconsin and Ohio State visit Beaver Stadium. – Neil Geoghegan.

I know that Penn State has to have seven home football games each season in order to fund its 29 athletic programs. Scheduling lower tier opponents who will come to Beaver Stadium without expecting a return visit from the Nittany Lions is one thing. But PSU’s non-conference home slate this year is a joke.

Sports Illustrated recently ranked Buffalo and Florida International and Buffalo as the 118th and 119th ranked teams heading into the 2007 campaign. There are only 119 Div. I programs in the nation. And next season isn’t any better. The Lions open the 2008 season with Div. I-AA Coastal Carolina, followed by Arkansas State.

Penn State is more than a five-touchdown favorite against Florida International, who started playing football in 2002. To put that into perspective: Joe Paterno was born three-quarters of a century before the Golden Panthers first fielded a team.

It’s bad enough that the Penn State faithful have to cough up lots of money to watch their team bulldoze these inferior opponents. You can also make a strong argument that it doesn’t help the Nittany Lions either. Does anybody honestly think that Florida International is going to prepare PSU for Notre Dame the following week? And just one week after running circles around Buffalo, Lions will travel to Ann Arbor and try to beat Michigan for the first time since 1996. -- Neil Geoghegan

News out of State College that Centre County Judge Charles Brown, Jr., dismissed two felony charges and three lesser charges filed against Penn State’s Anthony Scirrotto is nothing but good news for the All Big Ten safety. The charges stemmed from a brawl last spring at an off-campus apartment.

The junior from Deptford, N.J., still faces a felony count of criminal trespass and one count of harassment, so he is not yet home free. But the ruling is only going to make it much easier for head coach Joe Paterno to eventually let Scirrotto off with a slap on the wrist. This could also pave the way for some sort of plea agreement on the remaining charges, or lead to dismissal of all charges.

In his written order, Brown ruled that there was no evidence that Scirrotto instigated the fight. His defense attorney, Ron McGlaughlin, is now saying that “there is nothing to establish (his client) did anything criminal other than enter the apartment."

So far, Paterno has resisted calls to suspend Scirrotto and backup defensive end Chris Baker, saying that he is waiting for the legal system to run its course. That sure looks like the prudent move right about now.

Media-types in nearly every market in the Midwest and along the East Coast have been inundated with information about the Big Ten Network. Most of us are sick of it already, and the network won’t launch until Aug. 30. The general public, however, has yet to show much interest.

That will certainly change around here if Comcast is unable to come to an agreement that would make BTN programming available to its many local subscribers. The situation will truly hit home if Penn State’s 2007 football opener on Sept. 1 is unavailable to an estimated 400,000 households in the Delaware Valley who subscribe to Comcast, not to mention the 24.6 million nationwide.

When you consider that 151 of the Nittany Lions last 153 games have been shown on television, it could be a monumental jolt if so many are unable to see PSU throttle Florida International. Penn State’s Sept. 15 contest with Buffalo is also set to air on the fledgling network, along with at least one of its eight conference clashes.

As it stands now, just a few satellite networks (like DirecTV and AT&T) have agreed to carry the BTN, along with some selected local cable operators.

The network is already trying to ramp up the pressure by urging fans to call their local cable operators. Conference Commissioner Jim Delany said that everyone that lives within the eight states of the Big Ten footprint should receive the BTN as part of their basic service. Comcast may want the network to be placed on a premium tier, if at all.

A crisis was avoided when Penn State’s campus cable system worked out a deal so that the BTN will be available to nearly 8,500 rooms in resident halls, lounges and common areas. But much of the rest of State College is serviced by Comcast. Interest is high in Happy Valley. On Aug. 16, a crowd of about 240 showed up for a dinner to hear more about the BTN. -- Neil Geoghegan.