While they have gotten close in some years, Penn State has yet to make the college football playoffs under James Franklin. However, the new 12-team format gives the Nittany Lions a much better chance at reaching the postseason.
This comes with a lot of pressure for Franklin and his staff to not only make the playoffs but also compete for a Big Ten championship. ESPN's Booger McFarland puts Penn State at the top of the teams that face high expectations entering this season.
"I think there are certain teams that if they don't make a 12-team playoff, you're going to look at this team and this season as a disappointment," McFarland said on Greg McElroy's "Always College Football" podcast. "And I think Penn State leads that group of where the playoff is a minimum for them to get in."
Quarterback Drew Allar hopes to have a strong junior year, and the Nittany Lions' signing of former Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming will certainly help. However, the strength of this Penn State offense will be its run game, as Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton hope to build on a 2023 campaign in which they combined for over 1600 yards.
The Nittany Lions have a tough middle of their schedule, and we will learn a lot about this team. Penn State hosts Ohio State and Washington while paying road visits to USC and Wisconsin throughout the month of October and into November. If they can afford one or even two losses in that stretch, I think they have a great shot at the playoffs.
But opening up the season won't be easy either. The Nittany Lions travel to Morgantown to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday, Aug. 31. If they can make a statement in week one, it will undoubtedly set them up for success down the road.