Some nitpicking as the Nittany Lions prepare to wrap up their non-conference schedule:

Penn State’s move to the Big Ten – its first football season was 1993 – has been a huge success.

It has provided long-term stability, especially financially, in what has become one of the nation’s top two conferences along with the SEC.

That said, older followers of the Nittany Lions (count me in) can still look back with a measure of regret that an eastern conference didn’t come together when it was in the works in the early 1980s.

Decisions then eventually cost longstanding rivalries or annual matchups involving Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, Syracuse and Boston College.

Ditto Temple and Rutgers, which would have been included.

Arguably, all of those football programs have suffered, other than Penn State, which became an attractive target for the Big Ten.

Ironically, the Nits’ opponent today — Villanova, 3:30 p.m., FS1 — contributed to shaping Penn State’s future.

In 1982, the Big East took a vote on the Nittany Lions. It was an eight-team league at the time, and six votes were needed for Penn State’s acceptance.

The vote was 5-3 with Villanova, Georgetown and St. John’s voting against the Lions.

Former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese later called the vote the conference’s “one major mistake” and predicted when it happened that the league would “rue the day,” it missed such an opportunity, and he was definitely correct.

Who knows where it could have led?

Miami may have followed since after PSU went to the Big Ten, the Hurricanes immediately jumped into the Big East, which added Pitt in 1983. Notre Dame may have preferred to keep its independence but would have been tempted as it was in the midst of a 10-year relationship with Penn State and also played Pitt, BC and others in the East regularly.

Just some food for thought and a little history lesson on a day the Lions prepare for the Wildcats — as 45-point favorites.

Receivers’ fault?

Lack of quality wide receivers has supposedly held the Nittany Lions’ offense back from reaching its potential for the past couple of seasons.

We’ll see what happens this year as Kyron Hudson, Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross appear to be upgrades, but Drew Allar hasn’t yet established a vertical pass game.

Meanwhile, the top two receivers who left Happy Valley – KeAndre Lambert Smith and Harrison Wallace – benefited from new scenery.

Lambert Smith went off at Auburn in 2024 with nearly 1000 yards receiving and eight touchdowns and is currently with the Los Angeles Chargers after being drafted in the fifth round.

Wallace has a pair of 100-yard games in two games for Mississippi State this season.

Elite company

Former walk-on and now team captain Dom DeLuca has three career blocked punts.

The school record is four shared by Jack Ham and Andre Collins.

Both hold the season record with three – Ham in 1968 and Collins in 1989.

Schedule closeup

Not only is Penn State’s non-conference void of a challenge, it clearly got a break with its league schedule.

Yes, it must face Oregon and Ohio State — although it won’t meet either in 2026 — but the Lions avoid Illinois, Michigan, USC, Wisconsin, Washington and Minnesota.

Other than perhaps Michigan, each appears improved this year.

You can’t play everybody, granted, but this schedule again underscores how this is James Franklin’s best breakthrough opportunity.

Neil Rudel covers Penn State football and can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com. You can watch his TV show, “The NitWits” at altoonamirror.com.