Sure, the buzz about tomorrow's Penn-Villanova game is built in large part on the fact that the Quakers are playing a road game in their own stadium.
But for all that talk about logistics, Penn still has the not-so-small task of playing a Wildcats squad that defeated the Quakers, 16-13, last season.
Leading the Villanova attack will be quarterback Frank Jankowski -- a replacement for opening-day starter Marvin Burroughs who went down with a broken arm against Rutgers.
Though Burroughs is touted as the more mobile signal-caller, Bagnoli believes Jankowski possesses comparable skill and athleticism.
However, he does not foresee the Wildcats' offense taking as many chances with Jankowski under center.
"The problem is now that you've lost number one, and number two is number one, three now becomes two," Bagnoli said. "So maybe your offensive thinking becomes different if you're Villanova.
"Maybe you don't want him to take as many hits," Bagnoli said.
Perhaps running back Martin Gibson, who has amassed 115 yards on the ground in two games this season, will be taking the extra carries.
According to senior defensive back Michael Johns, Villanova's combination of size and speed will be a test for the Quakers.
"Their O-line is probably the biggest we'll see all year. Their skill guys can move," Johns said. "They're going to present a challenge but hopefully we can step up to it and answer the call."
Bagnoli believes that the defense must improve from Week 1 in order to shut down the Wildcats.
"Our tackling was not particularly good," Bagnoli said. "Our football position before the tackle was not particularly good."
Bagnoli chalked up much of Penn's struggles on both defense and in the passing game to opening-day jitters.
Senior running back Sam Mathews believes the onus is on the Quakers ground game to make things easier on quarterback Pat McDermott and the wide receivers.
"One of the things about our offense is that it's good at complementing itself," he said, pointing out that if the defense tries to stop the run, it will inevitably create opportunities elsewhere.
Both Johns and Mathews agreed that the team will carry a little extra motivation from last year's bitter loss, in which Penn fell behind 16-0 and had its comeback derailed by three missed field goals.
"One thing that I'm looking forward to doing is coming back and showing them that we can take them on," Mathews said. "We're going to work our butt off for a win."
Johns added that "they're the only team I've never beaten since I've been here. For me, it means a little something extra."
In the end, Bagnoli believes tomorrow's game will be an excellent barometer for Penn as the Ancient Eight schedule looms.
"If there's any weakness that you have," he said, "they're athletic enough to exploit it."
Notes: Bagnoli also explained the details of what Penn's status as the road team will mean to the fans in the stands.
"There are some unusual things that one would never anticipate," he said. "For example, the home team wears dark in college football."
Since the Red and Blue is the away team, it must wear white. The problem, said Bagnoli, is that by rule Penn can travel with only 62 players. Every member of the team can dress tomorrow. Thus there will not be enough away uniforms to go around.
"That is something we're going to have to overcome," Bagnoli said.
Bagnoli also noted that the Wildcats, as is the right of the home team, will control the score board, video board and pregame music.
To a degree, it resembles the situation in which the NFL's New York Giants found themselves this past Monday for their game against the New Orleans Saints, in which the Giants were officially the 'road' team.
Perhaps Giants fullback Jim Finn, a Penn alum, can understand his alma mater's situation.
