The Obligatory PSU Podcast

If Week One offered a pleasant distraction from the harsh realities of college football, Penn State's second game and first road contest of the season - a bus trip to the City of Brotherly Love to face the Temple Owls at the Eagles' stadium - quickly reminded coaches, players, and fans that the game can be as unforgiving as it is unpredictable. The guys recap the lessons and wakeup calls from a closer-than-necessary 27-9 victory and examine evidence around how Matt Campbell's staff and players are responding ahead of their final non-conference tuneup versus the Buffalo Bulls.HOSTED BY: Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris BuchignaniThe Obligatory PSU Podcast is brought to you once again this season by GOLD HEN BLOODY MARY MIX, a Penn State alumni-owned company, makers of the truly one-of-a-kind Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix. Try it today by going to: GoldHenBloodyMary.comThe unique flavor profile of Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix complements a variety of alcohols and makes an excellent marinade or cooking ingredient. This year, the guys at Gold Hen are teaming up with Landon Tengwall to put a distinctly Penn State spin on their signature product with the special edition Blue-and-White-themed Gold Hen Batch 58. Stock up for tailgate season today!CHECKMATE RENTALS is a service oriented, homeowner-first vacation rental management partner that has earned the trust of STR owners around the country. Founded in their hometown in Beaver County, PA, Checkmate’s ownership group includes proud Penn State alumni. If you own a short-term rental property you list with services like AirBnB, book a call with CEO Chad Phillis today at: https://www.checkmaterentals.com/At ANTIFRAGILE BREWING CO., the only taproom and brewery located in downtown State College at 324 E. Calder Way, something new is always brewing. In addition to the fantastic beers, you can also enjoy Moody Culture Kombucha, fresh-crafted cocktails made from PA spirits, and incredible Uncle John's Jawns cheesesteaks.

For the moment at least, the bad memories were banished - the lengthy, lingering shadows of a shattered season ripe with promise, a messy divorce rife with mutual recrimination and the ensuing miserable slog of a coaching search riddled with dead ends and false starts, an offseason loaded with uncertainties and a chorus of skeptics ritually chanting "Iowa State East" - all were swept away like so much dust on the wind in one breezy, sun-drenched afternoon in Happy Valley. As a blissfully relaxed, near-capacity crowd slowly filed out of Beaver Stadium while home team salted away a 45-0 season-opening win, the simplest question haunting an interminably long offseason had been answered: Yes, the Penn State Nittany Lions could still play football, and they were going to be just fine, in fact.With the fandom still milking that sugar high, Matt Campbell takes his team on the road for the first time, looking to exorcise some demons of the deeper past. The Lions return to Lincoln Financial Field for the first time since their infamous 10-sack humbling at the hands of alumnus and Letterman Matt Rhule's 2015 Temple team. That was then. Coach and school have long since parted ways and neither's fortunes have improved since that day destined to pass into the annal of Owl legend. Today, it is Penn State, no longer hobbled by sanctions and newly relieved of its more recent doubts, that once again looks to hold the upper hand.With half the usuals off pursuing solo projects, the rare Noble-Buchignani tandem wraps up the satisfying win over Marshall and look ahead to the team's trip to Philly.HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Chris BuchignaniThe Obligatory PSU Podcast is brought to you once again this season by GOLD HEN BLOODY MARY MIX, a Penn State alumni-owned company, makers of the truly one-of-a-kind Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix. Try it today by going to: GoldHenBloodyMary.comThe unique flavor profile of Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix complements a variety of alcohols and makes an excellent marinade or cooking ingredient. This year, the guys at Gold Hen are teaming up with Landon Tengwall to put a distinctly Penn State spin on their signature product with the special edition Blue-and-White-themed Gold Hen Batch 58. Stock up for tailgate season today!CHECKMATE RENTALS is a service oriented, homeowner-first vacation rental management partner that has earned the trust of STR owners around the country. Founded in their hometown in Beaver County, PA, Checkmate’s ownership group includes proud Penn State alumni. If you own a short-term rental property you list with services like AirBnB, book a call with CEO Chad Phillis today at: https://www.checkmaterentals.com/At ANTIFRAGILE BREWING CO., the only taproom and brewery located in downtown State College at 324 E. Calder Way, something new is always brewing. In addition to the fantastic beers, you can also enjoy Moody Culture Kombucha, fresh-crafted cocktails made from PA spirits, and incredible Uncle John's Jawns cheesesteaks.

FINALLY, FOOTBALL! And just in time, the gang is back to preview the highly unusual occasion of a new Penn State head football coach making his debut (ironically, the most "normal" such instance in nearly 60 years). Matt Campbell will lead the Nittany Lions out of the tunnel for the first time against Marshall. What should fans be expecting from this team, a unique blended family under the leadership of a man who's hit all the right notes this offseason, but will now be judged on the unforgiving metric of wins and losses? The guys give one final look ahead at Campbell's first game and inaugural campaign before the college season kicks off in earnest.HOSTED BY: Mike "The Mailman" Herr, Kevin Horne, Chris BuchignaniThe Obligatory PSU Podcast is brought to you once again this season by Gold Hen, a Penn State alumni-owned company, makers of the truly one-of-a-kind Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix. Try it today by going to: GoldHenBloodyMary.comThe unique flavor profile of Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix complements a variety of alcohols and makes an excellent marinade or cooking ingredient. This year, the guys at Gold Hen are teaming up with Landon Tengwall to put a distinctly Penn State spin on their signature product with the special edition Blue-and-White-themed Gold Hen Batch 58. Stock up for tailgate season today!CHECKMATE RENTALS is a service oriented, homeowner-first vacation rental management partner that has earned the trust of STR owners around the country. Founded in their hometown in Beaver County, PA, Checkmate’s ownership group includes proud Penn State alumni. If you own a short-term rental property you list with services like AirBnB, book a call with CEO Chad Phillis today at: https://www.checkmaterentals.com/ At ANTIFRAGILE BREWING CO., the only taproom and brewery located in downtown State College at 324 E. Calder Way, something new is always brewing. In addition to the fantastic beers, you can also enjoy Moody Culture Kombucha, fresh-crafted cocktails made from PA spirits, and incredible Uncle John's Jawns cheesesteaks.

Chris welcomes back his old LION 90.7fm radio partner Mike Levine for a second week to complete their analysis of 2026 Nittany Lions roster. Led by former Penn State corner D'Anton Lynn, who left his post as defensive coordinator at USC to assume the same role under Matt Campbell, this defense looks to blend a combination of homegrown stars with imported Iowa State stalwarts and other transfers. A shift in scheme and philosophy appears set to give the Lions more bulk up front and greater freedom to play fast at all three levels. Mike and Chris take a closer look at the mix of proven playmakers and aspiring stars set to keep Matt Campbell's team in every game.HOSTED BY: Chris BuchignaniGUEST: Mike LevineThe Obligatory PSU Podcast is brought to you once again this season by Gold Hen, a Penn State alumni-owned company, makers of the truly one-of-a-kind Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix. Try it today by going to: GoldHenBloodyMary.comThe unique flavor profile of Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix complements a variety of alcohols and makes an excellent marinade or cooking ingredient. This year, the guys at Gold Hen are teaming up with Landon Tengwall to put a distinctly Penn State spin on their signature product with a special batch of Blue-and-White-themed Gold Hen 58. Stock up for tailgate season today!At ANTIFRAGILE BREWING CO., the only taproom and brewery located in downtown State College at 324 E. Calder Way, something new is always brewing. In addition to the fantastic beers, you can also enjoy Moody Culture Kombucha, fresh-crafted cocktails made from PA spirits, and incredible Uncle John's Jawns cheesesteaks.

Per Obligatory tradition, Chris enlists the assistance of his fellow LION 90.7fm alum Mike Levine to analyze the 2026 Nittany Lions roster in two installments, beginning with the offense. As undergrads, they brought a handful fo distracted listeners alternative live commentary on such unforgettable Penn State moments as Joe Paterno's record-breaking 324th career win versus Ohio State and such forgettable disappointments as most other games of that 2001 season. Now they unpack the offensive talent set to take the field for Matt Campbell as he begins his tenure in Happy Valley.Chris and Mike return again next week to break down the defense for Part Two, and then our usual quartet of knuckleheads will be back to face the next day of the rest of Penn State football's life.HOSTED BY: Chris BuchignaniGUEST: Mike LevineThe Obligatory PSU Podcast is brought to you once again this season by Gold Hen, a Penn State alumni-owned company, makers of the truly one-of-a-kind Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix. Try it today by going to: GoldHenBloodyMary.comThe unique flavor profile of Gold Hen Bloody Mary Mix complements a variety of alcohols and makes an excellent marinade or cooking ingredient. This year, the guys at Gold Hen are teaming up with Landon Tengwall to put a distinctly Penn State spin on their signature product with a special batch of Blue-and-White-themed Gold Hen 58. Stock up for tailgate season today!At ANTIFRAGILE BREWING CO., the only taproom and brewery located in downtown State College at 324 E. Calder Way, something new is always brewing. In addition to the fantastic beers, you can also enjoy Moody Culture Kombucha, fresh-crafted cocktails made from PA spirits, and incredible Uncle John's Jawns cheesesteaks.