The Penn State football program has been awfully good under head coach James Franklin but has yet to get -- and stay -- over the hump with the likes of Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten. The talent and pedigree is there, but the Nittany Lions are still looking to be mentioned in the same breath.
To do it, Franklin will have to steer the ship through rough waters to consistently beat the teams at the very top. Now that four teams from the former Pac-12 are joining the conference, it could get even tougher to get to Indy, but there's also a shot to make it into the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Here are Penn State's three toughest games this fall it'll have to navigate to continue the climb.
3. at USC | Saturday, Oct. 12
Yeah, yeah, we don't know if USC will have a real, live defense climb off the bus, but going to L.A. and playing a Lincoln Riley offense isn't going to be easy. Penn State has always had issues hanging with teams that can match athletic ability, and that's what it'll face on the road in Memorial Coliseum.
2. at Wisconsin | Saturday, Oct. 26
Penn State has had some success at Camp Randall, holding just a 5-6 disadvantage overall, but the games are almost always physical and close in Madison. Look for Wisconsin players to have a better grasp on what they need to do under head coach Luke Fickell in Year 2 and for this one to be filled with blood, sweat, and tears in front of the Wisconsin crowd.
1. vs. Ohio State | Saturday, Nov. 2
Yes, Ohio State is supposed to be really good this fall and it'll come to Happy Valley. That's good news for Penn State but it won't be a whiteout and this will be the best team the Nittany Lions face all year. Don't ever count Penn State out at home, but it's going to be a Lord of the Rings journey to keep up with the talent and athleticism OSU's bringing to State College in 2024.