Part 2/13:
The core narrative heading into the season was about Penn State’s ability to finally break through and secure the wins that truly measure a program’s legitimacy. The last notable slip before this year was a grueling nine-overtime contest against Illinois in 2021, which underscored that the team had begun to overcome such inexplicable losses. But now, the team finds itself entangled in a different kind of trap—a trap game—where fatigue and emotional drain from prior contests may have contributed to their downfall.