Penn State coach James Franklin is lobbying for more runway to get his program off the ground as the Nittany Lions navigate life in an expanded Big Ten. Literally. With the No. 4 Nittany Lions headed west for a Saturday showdown at USC on CBS,

Franklin previewed the game Monday, when he also discussed the status of running back Nicholas Singleton, the team's leading rusher who did not play against UCLA. Here's what Franklin said about the upcoming Penn State-USC game.

Those logistics are the backdrop for Penn State's trip this week to face Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans -- the two programs's first meeting as conference brethren. And with James Franklin revealing his team is departing Thursday for Saturday's 3:30 p.

The team will fly to Los Angeles from Harrisburg International airport Thursday, after busing there Thursday. The problem, according to Franklin, is the State College airport cant