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VBR calls PSU’s win over Auburn football 5th best of James Franklin era

By Andrew Hughes

CBS Sports' Barrett Sallee considers this Saturday afternoon's clash with Penn State at Jordan-Hare Stadium a pivot point for Bryan Harsin Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
CBS Sports' Barrett Sallee considers this Saturday afternoon's clash with Penn State at Jordan-Hare Stadium a pivot point for Bryan Harsin Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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This past Saturday was a heart-breaker for Auburn football fans. For Penn State fans, however, there was jubilation following the final horn.

The officiating crew inserted themselves into the action, calling certain ill-advised penalties but failing to make other obvious calls–such as incorrectly giving three downs on one PSU drive that led to a 3rd down punt–and ultimately the Nittany Lions won 28-20 during their heavily hyped White Out game.

While Auburn football fans have lamented about Zakoby McClain’s targeting call on 4th and goal, Penn State football fans are basking in the glow of their seismic Week 3 non-conference victory.

Nick Kreiser of Victory Bell Rings even called it the fifth biggest win of the James Franklin era in Happy Valley:

"James Franklin’s most recent win (as I type this) cracks the top five of his biggest and best wins as the Penn State Football head coach. This was Franklin’s first win over an SEC opponent during his time at the helm for the Nittany Lions.It was also Penn State Football’s first win as a program over an SEC team since beating LSU in the 2010 Capital One Bowl (2009 season).It was also a huge game from a recruiting standpoint, as the Nittany Lions hosted a lot of highly rated recruits to the White Out, and had an entire nation watching from home as Penn State played a great all around game to beat one of the best teams in the SEC."

You’re a good man, Mr. Kreiser, for that last line.

Truly, it was a defining early-season victory for the Nittany Lions, who had just defeated Wisconsin Week 1 in a key Big Ten clash.

The win puts them at #6 in the AP Top 25, lurking from just outside the CFP with a chance to enter the conversation with any slippage from Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Oklahoma, or Iowa.

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