Battling distance and expectations, Penn State can emerge from USC game as Ohio State’s true Big Ten threat

Penn State hit a clear ceiling under coach James Franklin over the past couple of years. Always good — really good, even — but never good enough to step out of the gargantuan shadows cast by a pair of Big Ten giants in Ohio State and Michigan. Through the 10-win seasons and the trips to New Year’s Six bowls, fans started to get a little restless. 

But a lifeline arrived with the Big Ten’s elimination of divisions, coupled with the 12-team College Football Playoff format. Now, despite still flying under the radar in both conference and national conversations, the No. 4 Nittany Lions have a real chance to break through Saturday when they travel to USC on the same day that No. 2 Ohio State heads to No. 3 Oregon in a game stealing all of the headlines. 

Conceivably, the loser between the Buckeyes and the Ducks would fall a couple of spots in the AP Top 25. That would open the door for Penn State, provided it can win a tough road game, to climb into the top three for the first time since Week 7 of the 2017 season. 

Saturday’s dominoes, depending how they fall, could also open the door for Penn State to take a lead in the Big Ten race itself. An Ohio State victory would favor the Nittany Lions. Oregon still has to play No. 23 Illinois and No. 24 Michigan — on the road — after it gets past the Buckeyes. 

That’s far more difficult than what Penn State faces in its post-Week 7 slate. Looking ahead: the Nittany Lions do have a huge home game against Ohio State looming on Nov. 2, but otherwise, the remaining conference games are against opponents who are currently a combined 4-8 in Big Ten play. Washington is Penn State’s only remaining opponent (other than the Buckeyes) that currently sits in the top half of the conference standings –…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/battling-distance-and-expectations-penn-state-can-emerge-from-usc-game-as-ohio-states-true-big-ten-threat/

Author : Will Backus

Publish date : 2024-10-11 18:35:56

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