The Blue White Roundtable enters week four and it seems as though we're talking about the same issues once again with the quarterback situation. Before we get in to that though, here are a couple house keeping items.

Make sure you check out the details for the Blitz and Beatz College Tour event we're co-sponsoring this week and check our Facebook page for a chance to win a couple of free tickets to the event. All members of the Blue White Roundtable are hereby invited.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter too.

Adam Collyer from Black Shoe Diaries serves up the questions.

1. Penn State was 6-17 on third down against Temple on Saturday. What can the team do to fix that? Is it a quarterback derby issue?

Take more timeouts? Kidding.

I do think that the offense is having trouble adjusting to different timings based on the different quarterbacks on the field. The same plays may be called for Bolden and McGloin but each player has different tendencies and timing on plays, and that has to be difficult for the entire receiving corp and the offensive line (which is a major crack in itself.)

2. Last week, I asked whether Bolden's touchdown drive against Alabama in the fourth quarter was his defining moment. That was clearly premature, so I'll ask again. Bolden's big drive at the end of the fourth quarter, particularly the slant to Moye on 4th and 2 - defining moment?

Let's hope so.

Penn State needs to get this quarterback issue behind them, so once again it will be of the utmost importance for Bolden to build off of whatever high points he had in last weekend's win at Temple. If he can't keep something going against Eastern Michigan, then this could be a very long season for Penn State.

Buy your tickets from Nittany Lion's Den and have a chance to win a free spring break trip!

Nittany Lion's Den is sponsoring the Blitz and Beatz 2011 College Tour White-Out Dance Party and we are teaming up with the tour to offer a free spring break trip to one of our readers.

The event will be held this Friday, September 23 at the Delta Upsilon house (co-sponsored by Chi Omega) on 229 Locust Lane. For a chance to win a spring break trip make sure to buy your tickets by using this link. If Nittany Lion's Den sells the most tickets to the event, then we will be given a spring break trip from the folks at Xtreme Trips to give away to one of our lucky readers. We'll figure out a way to give the trip away if we get to cross that bridge. Who doesn't like a free spring break trip?

If you are attending the event, be sure to wear all-white. The first 200 people to show up will be given a free t-shirt, and who doesn't like free t-shirts?

NYC’s Premiere DJ David Berrie is the headliner and will be joined by electro-rapper Na Palm and avant-dance duo Afrobeta.

Again, here are the details you need to know...

What: Blitz and Beatz 2011 College White-Out Dance Party

When: Friday, September 23, 6 p.m. - ?

Where: 229 Locust Lane

Who: DJ David Berrie, Na Palm, Afrobeta

Tickets: Click here

Remember, you have a chance to pick up a free t-shirt and win a free spring break trip, but you need to buy tickets through Nittany Lion's Den in order to qualify for any giveaway from our site!

Even with conference realignment sending college sports into a frenzy, Penn State is safe in the Big Ten.  Still, one may be confused about which conference the Nittany Lions are in as they take on their second consecutive  Mid-American Conference opponent in Eastern Michigan.  Here to help us get familiarized with the Eagles is Theodora Robinson-Jones, Sports Editor for the Eastern Echo. 

NLD: Eastern Michigan won two games over the past two years, but has already matched that number this year thanks to a strong running game.  What makes this Eagle rushing attack so potent?  Will Dominique Sherrer, who had over 100 yards in the first two matches before being held out against Michigan last week, be healthy to play?  How much was he missed against the Wolverines?  If he is not available, who will pick up the slack?

Eastern Echo: The strength of EMU's running game comes from a combination of a great offensive line that creates nice pockets as well as explosive runners. Dominique Sherrer will probably not play much on Saturday, if at all. He was on crutches for a couple of days last week and it seems like the coaching staff is going to play it safe and hold off until MAC play for him. Expect to see a lot of Javonti Greene, who started in place of Sherrer last week. He's a sophomore who, after the game against Michigan, now leads the Eagles rushing game with 346 total rush yards.

Having Penn State as a visiting team did not quite draw as well as Temple was expecting. They expected a sellout. While Lincoln Financial Field was not quite filled to capacity and still well short of the 2007 crowd that set a MAC attendance record, the Owls did have some positives to come out of hosting Penn State on Saturday. They saw a large student section come out, although it looked as though an entire section showed up late due to late-arriving buses.

Perhaps the ticket prices between $60 and $80 was just too much for Temple fans to purchase, not to mention the Penn State fans who are already in a tizzy over STEP at Beaver Stadium.

Now, imagine trying to sell tickets for a Temple home game against Toledo? Tickets for that game are now being discounted through a Groupon deal today for as little as $12. Any takers?

When running back Marcus Lattimore committed to South Carolina over Penn State here were many in the Penn State community that groaned and complained that Joe Paterno could not land the top marquee prospect (never mind the fact they picked up Silas Redd at the same time). It is a valid complaint, although landing Lattimore would have been the cherry on top of the cake in the Class of 2010 because he was leaning on staying close to home in his home state.

things have turned out very well for Lattimore. He started playing right away for Steve Spurrier and has become one of, if not the, best running backs in the country. He is the engine behind a top ten team looking to make their second straight trip to the SEC Championship Game this fall. This week he takes top honors on my ballot in the Bloguin Heisman Poll, which is organized by College Football Zealots and now hosted by Crystal Ball Run.

1. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina Running Back

Marcus Lattimore sure would look good in Penn State blue and white, especially after rushing for 246 yards and three touchdowns against Navy on Saturday. Lattimore is so fun to watch with his strength and mobility. Get the ball in his hands and he is going to make defenders pay for attempting to tackle him.

Penn State's loss is South Carolina's gain here for now, but Silas Redd is certainly a nice consolation prize.

2. LaMichael James, Oregon Running Back

Sure, he racked up big yardage on the strength of a 90-yard and a 50-yard run, but let;s give Oregon's LaMichael James credit for being able to do so. James racked up 204 yards and three toucdowns on 12 carries, although he did so against FCS Missouri State. Don't sleep on Oregon folks. Losing in week one is nothing, especially when doing so against one of the top three programs in the country (LSU). James will be putting up big numbers all season and Oregon will get back in to the national title picture before too long.

3. Kellen Moore, Boise State Quarterback

On Friday night Kellen Moore torched the Toledo secondary for 455 yards and five touchdowns. At times it didn't seem to matter where he threw the ball because it was going to find the hands of a Boise State receiver. So much for being concerned about losing a pair of receivers to the NFL, huh?

Image source: Getty Images

Two weeks ago, I bid adieu to the Big 12 conference upon hearing strong voices out of Norman, Oklahoma, desiring to head west to the Pac-Infinity. Now, a much less drawn-out and intrigue-filled development popped up over the weekend: Pittsburgh and Syracuse applied for membership in the ACC. After everything the Big 12 has put us through these past months, who knew changing conferences could be so easy?

While nothing is actually set in stone, here’s what appears to be 99.99% locks—the Big 12 and Big East both have 7 teams, the ACC and Pac-12 will have 14 teams, and the SEC is starting off with 13. Meanwhile, the cryptic Big Ten remains quiet with a suddenly-unorthodox 12 teams. What’s next as we go forward with expansion? Who are the key chess pieces in this game? I’ll take you through the kings, the rooks, and the pawns.

The Kings

With the ACC now seeming to be very stable (they are expanding, they upped the “exit fee” from the conference unanimously, and they once again trumped their geographical competition [the Big East]). Texas and Notre Dame are now officially the only two kings left in this reshuffling. Texas has been heavily rumored to be thinking about the Pac-12 and the ACC. Quieter murmurings still exist regarding Texas to the Big Ten. Texas must deal with the politics of potential orphans Texas Tech and Baylor and the not-so-simple ramifications of their fledgling TV network. They need a new conference, but they have a ton of baggage. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is watching the walls close in on it as the Big East’s overall viability has been compromised with the loss of Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame will do anything to remain independent in football, but the landscape is shifting and the money is far greater for them in a super conference. Will the Big East somehow survive? Will they find non-football membership in the ACC? Will the super conferences stop at 14 and allow them to maintain independence? All are key questions Notre Dame fans wish they didn’t have to answer.

The Rooks

These schools are not lynchpins for the future of expansion, but in a quest to get the perfect combination of academics, geography, and football, they will play major roles from here on out.

Missouri and Kansas. I covered their plights two weeks ago, and little has changed for them, except the decreased desirability of going to the Big East, of course. Both of them could possibly find a home in the Pac-12, but the official word is that Kansas and Kansas State are joined at the hip. Kansas and Kansas State stand little chance of going to the SEC or Big Ten together but could be the final pieces for the ACC should they want to expand west. I can’t imagine a legendary program like Kansas being left out, but if no one wants Kansas State and the Jayhawks are tied to them, they just might be. Missouri, I think, stands a much better chance of finding a great home. I think they could be a western partner with Texas to the ACC, a western partner with Texas A&M to the SEC, a southern partner with Texas to the Big Ten, or even an eastern addition to the Pac-12 (with Texas Tech or Kansas maybe).

West Virginia and Rutgers. From a football angle, Rutgers might seem like an odd inclusion. But New Jersey is a populous state, and Rutgers is its state university. Rutgers alone doesn’t excite New York City folk, but in conjunction with another power football conference, Rutgers has a certain appeal. If the ACC is looking to lock up the East Coast, they might use a Syracuse/Rutgers combo (as much for football as for basketball). Or, the Big Ten might continue their slow creep east and west. East with Penn State, west with Nebraska, and then east again with Rutgers? West Virginia seems like a lock to the SEC to me. They are a border state with that conference, a traditional football power, and academically on par with most SEC schools. WVU isn’t likely to find a home anywhere else; it’s SEC-or-bust.

The Pawns

Only the six schools mentioned above are guaranteed seats at the super conference table. If you do the math (13 SEC+14 PAC+14 ACC+12 B1G=59 super conference teams), that means the rest of these schools will be battling it out for the final five spots out of 64.

UConn, Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida. I’ve listed them in order of their desirability. UConn is not only a basketball power, it’s an elite name in the well-populated northeast. Its football is way “meh” but not much more so than other Big East leftovers. Louisville also is a basketball-first school, and the second-most desirable for the ACC. I can’t envision a scenario where either Cincinnati or South Florida make the final 64.

Kansas State, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Iowa State. Stick a fork in Iowa State. They’re without a hope. But the other three have a flickering chance. Hitch Baylor’s and Texas Tech’s wagon to Texas. Place Kansas State firmly on Kansas’s coattails. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of those three make the final 64, but not all three of them.

BYU, TCU, and Boise State. These BCS-busters are probably busted. They’re too ghetto for the Pac-12 and too far from the SEC. A realistic scenario for post-Armageddon small-time football? The Big East remnants and the Mountain West/WAC scraps forge together independently. Their two champions meet up in some yearly mid-major championship game.

Check Mate?

Trying to guess at this point is a fool’s venture. Every little move creates ripples elsewhere. As an admitted Big Ten homer, I’m going to stick with the prediction I made over a year ago. Texas and Notre Dame will end up in the Big Ten. With those two behemoths in, the Big Ten can marry for money (TV markets) instead of love (football power). I think they wrap up the process with Missouri and Rutgers.

I don’t think the ACC wants to go national; they’ll stick to their niche (great basketball and solid football) and do it well. I think they’ll pass on Kansas and Kansas State, taking instead Louisville and UConn.

All of which will suit the Pac-12 fine. I don’t think they want any part of the state of Texas without the Longhorns. I think they strengthen their hoops and snag the two Kansas schools. They’ll need to go “zipper” to keep everyone happy with their trips to California, but I think Larry Scott can sell that to his presidents.

The SEC will take West Virginia first to get to 14 and then will make deeper inroads into Texas. I think they take two of the three remaining Texas schools (Baylor, Texas Tech, or TCU). The only other school I could see enticing the SEC at that point would be Cincinnati, and that would be solely for Mike Slive to stick a tiny pea under Princess Delany’s golden mattress.

Plenty of good seats remain for this weekend's game at Temple, and the Philadelphia Eagles are sending out emails this morning to try and get rid of some more tickets.

Here's a look at the email, with a special promo code!

The link that reads "Click here" takes you to the TicketMaster page for the game. Give it a try and see if it helps you out with some tickets.