Post-Gazette Sports: Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and more

On their weekly Penn State football podcast, host Adam Bittner and Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian insider Joe Haas preview the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions' crucial road game against the USC Trojans on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Are slow starts a concern for OC Andy Kotelnicki's unit as it enters a brand new Big Ten environment? Or is he using first halves to set up big plays, much like the 2016 conference championship team under Joe Moorhead did? How are Penn State receivers including Trey Wallace, Liam Clifford, Julian Fleming and Omari Evans performing relative to expectations. Are Penn State cornerbacks Jalen Kimber and A.J. Harris ready for the challenge of facing USC's high-flying passing game led by Miller Moss, Zachariah Branch and Jakobi Lane? And how important is Nick Singleton's potential return to teammate Kaytron Allen and the running game?

Our duo tackles those topics as well as James Franklin's thoughts on the logistics of traveling to Los Angeles; the impact of USC's loss to Minnesota on Penn State's resume; and the implications of the Ohio State-Oregon game for the Lions.