STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- An unparalleled excitement has gripped Happy Valley this week. Whether it’s in classrooms or bars, on sidewalks or buses, there’s no escaping fans’ fervor.
On Sunday morning, a man sipping from a blue mug shouted to passers-by in front of his State College home: “How about them Nittany Lions?” At a gas station just off campus, an employee debated with a barrel-chested customer about how much this offense has improved under coordinator Joe Moorhead. (“He’s a great guy,” the customer said. “He has dogs.”) And at a sports bar earlier this week, a group of plaid-wearing 20-somethings spiritedly discussed the merits of handing the Nittany Lions a College Football Playoff spot over No.