Penn State football’s 2024 season will be here before we know it.

The Nittany Lions enter an unprecedented season with an expanded Big Ten and College Football Playoff. However, several challenging matchups stand in the way between James Franklin’s team and a first-ever playoff berth for the program.

We took a look at all of Penn State’s 2024 matchups to see which ones will matter most at the end of the season.

Penn State faces a challenging opponent on the West Coast, which won’t be easy.

No. 12: September 7 Vs. Bowling Green

The 107K Family Reunion should be a fun afternoon as Penn State returns to Beaver Stadium against Bowling Green. Freshmen, you can read up about student section etiquette here.

No. 11: September 21 Vs. Kent State

If we were talking elections, I’d put these last two games firmly in the “safe” category for Penn State.

The second of two tune-up games before the Big Ten schedule begins shouldn’t be challenging for the Nittany Lions. Yes, even after the first of two bye weeks.

No. 10: November 16 At Purdue

Penn State narrowly avoided the upset in its last trip to West Lafayette, but a recurrence is unlikely this time around. The Boilermakers return quarterback Hudson Card, but they lost 29 players via the transfer portal. Among those players were the team’s top three receivers, dealing Card a bad hand.

No. 9: November 30 Vs. Maryland

Head coach Mike Locksley has done a good job with the Maryland program. However, the 2024 season is going to be a rebuilding year. So much of the Terrapins’ offensive success came via quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who is now in the Canadian Football League.

The last home game of the season is one that Penn State should easily win. Aside from 2020’s upset, the Nittany Lions typically play very well against the Terrapins, with just two other losses and a tie.

No. 8: September 28 Vs. Illinois

Illinois lost a lot on defense, most notably linemen Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. to the NFL. Quarterback Luke Altmyer was a disaster last season, with 16 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and only 1,888 passing yards.

It’s really hard to see Penn State losing to the Illini, especially in what could be a night game at Beaver Stadium.

No. 7: November 23 At Minnesota

Minnesota’s offense only averaged 20.9 points per game last year, and starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanas is no longer there. We’ll see how things shake out for the Golden Gophers, but as of right now, the environment the Nittany Lions will have to play in is almost more concerning than the team they’ll be facing. Minnesota weather in late November is no joke, folks.

No. 6: October 5 Vs. UCLA

UCLA hired Eric Bieniemy as its offensive coordinator, whose poor results as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator helped lead to his dismissal after only one year on the job. The Bruins lost several key players, especially on defense, to either the NFL or the transfer portal.

DeShaun Foster has a lot on his plate in year one. A trip to Happy Valley doesn’t help things, and Penn State shouldn’t have much trouble here.

No. 5: August 31 At West Virginia

My gut tells me this is going to be closer than people think. West Virginia’s duo of Garrett Greene and CJ Donaldson caused some problems in last year’s matchup, and playing in Morgantown is tough for away teams.

Penn State has plenty of time to prepare for this game, so there shouldn’t be any real issues here, right?

No. 4: November 9 vs. Washington

I wasn’t high on Washington being named Penn State’s White Out opponent, but it’s hard to predict how good or bad the Huskies will fare.

The Huskies are returning less than five starters this season, but new coach Jedd Fisch added quality pieces in the transfer portal. Although they almost certainly won’t be a contender in year one in Seattle, they could be an interesting and competitive team.

I still don’t love it, but Washington was the second-best option for the White Out, in my opinion. Penn State should win this game, but it’s tough to predict how it’ll go until the new group plays its first few games together.

No. 3: October 26 At Wisconsin

Penn State has consecutive road trips to Los Angeles and Madison in mid-October, with a bye week sandwiched between them.

The Nittany Lions’ last visit in 2021 ended in a slim 16-10 victory. The game was scoreless at halftime, and the two teams exchanged blows in the second half. Back-to-back interceptions sealed the deal late in the game, but it could’ve gone either way.

Playing in Camp Randall Stadium is hard, and the Badgers are slowly but surely making progress under Luke Fickell. He’s done a decent recruiting job so far, and former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will likely start.

Penn State should win this game, but probably not by more than a couple touchdowns. However, playing in Wisconsin’s hostile environment after a bye week is the type of combination that doesn’t mix well for Franklin’s team, making this the third-most challenging game on the schedule.

No. 2: October 12 At USC

With Lincoln Riley at the helm, USC returns a dangerous offense despite losing Caleb Williams. Miller Moss, who lit up Louisville in the Holliday Bowl last season, is primed to take over as starting quarterback.

The Trojans finally invested in their defense by hiring former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Despite losing Domani Jackson, Lynn and the Trojans improved the defense with the likes of John Humphrey and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, to name a couple.

Penn State should be favored against USC, but the trip to Los Angeles won’t be easy. The Coliseum is hostile when full, and I expect this matchup to generate significant excitement among the local fanbase. If the Nittany Lions drop a game they’ll be favored to win, this one seems most likely.

No. 1: November 2 Vs. Ohio State

Need I say much?

Ohio State is going to be a wagon this year, and more so than other seasons. The Buckeyes strengthened their roster with several additions, including former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins and former Alabama safety Caleb Downs.

The Buckeyes also pried Chip Kelly away from UCLA to be the offensive coordinator. Five-star freshman Jeremiah Smith could make a huge impact alongside veterans Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate at wide receiver. Meanwhile, the defense returns plenty of talent, including edge rusher JT Tuimoloao.

Playing Ohio State is always challenging, but it has possibly the most talent of the Ryan Day era so far. It is helpful that the game is at Beaver Stadium, but Penn State’s seven-game losing streak isn’t encouraging. The margin for error will be slim to none for the Nittany Lions if they’re to pull off the upset.