At last, the 2024 college football season is upon us.

Penn State football embarks on a schedule filled with new Big Ten opponents, a clash against Ohio State, and of course, this week’s opener at West Virginia. If all goes well, the Nittany Lions could see themselves in the expanded College Football Playoff for the first time ever. Several members of our staff predicted Penn State’s record this upcoming season.

Jack Scott: 10-2

It’s hard not to be on the Nittany Lion bandwagon this year, especially with the expanded College Football Playoff and a relatively easy schedule practically paving the way to the playoffs. While I believe that Penn State will earn its first playoff berth, it’ll likely be a tougher road than expected.

Starting off the season at West Virginia is tough, sure, but Penn State should sail through its early schedule, giving Drew Allar and company time to build chemistry on the attack while the defense shores up any weaknesses that might arise. That being said, I believe that facing Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium midseason is a serious threat. I predict that Penn State will pick up its first campaign loss to the Badgers in week nine before dropping another game to the Buckeyes back in Beaver Stadium.

They’ll hopefully round out the year with solid wins to break into the playoff, though, with a White Out win against Washington spurring on the late-season rebound. Hopefully, the slate will hold enough quality wins to impress CFP voters.

Michael Siroty: 10-2

I hope I’m wrong, but I expect the Nittany Lions to drop two games this season. In my eyes, Ohio State is almost a definite loss (again, I’d love for a different outcome), and there are a few other games that are serious threats to Penn State. West Virginia has a star quarterback in Garrett Greene and the Mountaineers pose a threat in a classic “trap game,” and playing at Wisconsin and USC are two road tests. 8-4, which would be a disaster, is this team’s floor. 11-1 is the ceiling, but I expect a 10-2 campaign from Penn State.

Fernando Martinez: 11-1

This is Penn State’s best opportunity to finally make the College Football Playoff under the 12-team format, and I think they’ll get the job done this season.

Despite having questions about how the team is going to look under new coordinators, this Penn State team is still very talented. Also, they are very experienced as they brought back many starters from last year and brought in good recruits and transfers like Julian Fleming. I expect Penn State’s offense to be much better this year under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and if the defense can be as elite as last year under Tom Allen, this team has so much potential.

However, I don’t see more than a quarterfinal appearance in the College Football Playoff for the Nittany Lions this year. I expect the Nittany Lions to go 11-1 with their only regular season loss coming against Ohio State. Looking at their schedule, Penn State is the better team heading into all games except Ohio State. However, there are some tricky games on the road such as USC and Wisconsin, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Penn State lost one of those games, but I still think it’ll win those in the end. Due to my predicted loss against Ohio State, I don’t think the Nittany Lions will make the Big Ten Championship game, but their record will be enough for them to secure a first-round game at Beaver Stadium. I think they’ll win their first-round game but, unfortunately, their season will end in the quarterfinals against a superior team like Georgia.

Noah Flenard: 11-1

I predict the Nittany Lions will finish the season 11-1 with the loss being against Ohio State. Ohio State’s wide receiver core is not only the best in the Big Ten, but arguably the nation. The Buckeyes’ secondary, featuring Caleb Downs, is also widely viewed as a top-five unit in the nation. They should have no problems shutting down Penn State’s wide receiver core. Penn State has tough road games such as USC, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. While those will be tough games due to the atmosphere, Penn State has the upper hand talent-wise.

Cadyn Gill: 11-1

Penn State has a fairly friendly 2024 schedule, which really only includes two challenging games in my eyes. The Nittany Lions will start 6-0, defeating WVU, Bowling Green, Kent State, Illinois, and UCLA with relative ease. However, heading into southern California to play the Trojans will prove to be a tough task, but I think the Nittany Lions’ defense in particular will hold strong and win the game for Penn State. Wisconsin on the road could be a trap game, but I have faith James Franklin and Co. will handle business and improve to 8-0.  However, that’s where the perfect record will end as the Nittany Lions will inevitably lose in frustrating fashion to Ohio State. From there, they will win out and end the season 11-1 where they will be poised to host a playoff game in the new College Football Playoff format.

Mikey DeAngelis: 9-3

This is my senior year at Penn State, and I would love to see Penn State make the College Football Playoff for the first time or even host a playoff game. However, having been a fan for years now, I have learned to be disappointed. After a few years of narrowly missing the College Football Playoff, I think that’s what’ll happen again. I see Penn State losing to Ohio State, either USC or Wisconsin, and a fluke game like West Virginia or Minnesota. I really hope I’m wrong.

Jamie Lynch: 10-2

Sound familiar? While I’m optimistic about the upcoming season, and could definitely see our beloved Nittany Lions going 11-1, I think there’s a lot of room to stumble. While Michigan isn’t on the schedule this year, a tough opening game in what will be a rowdy Milan Puskar Stadium, and two potential nighttime road matchups in Madison and Los Angeles are certainly trap games.

But, don’t worry, I have good news. With the expanded playoff format, I do see Penn State getting in with an at-large bid. Even if the Nittany Lions drop a game to Ohio State and perhaps another one along the way, I think they will sneak into the CFP for the first time in program history.

There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the team this year, particularly at the quarterback and wide receiver positions. Though the schedule is deceptively difficult, there’s no doubt in my mind that the players will be ready to address the challenges head-on and work to prove the doubters wrong en route to college football glory.

Ben Rosenbaum: 10-2

I think Penn State’s going to go 10-2 this year with a College Football Playoff bid. My prediction is that the Nittany Lions will lose Ohio State and USC but win the rest of our games. Ohio State tends to get the best of Penn State, and while I think it’ll be a close game, my prediction is that Ohio State will do the same again. I’m also predicting a loss to USC, a team that I believe is going to do better than expected this year. USC is coming off a mediocre year after losing Caleb Williams, but I think they’re going to do better than expected and shock Penn State on the road. However, even with two losses, I still believe Penn State will get a bid to the playoff at the end of the season.

Cooper Cazares: 10-2

Penn State is going to be good this year. They’re still not a powerhouse and their national position hasn’t changed much. However, they’ve got a somewhat comfortable schedule with the absence of Michigan and Oregon on the schedule.

If I know anything about Penn State football, it’s the fact that big games are a struggle. Having two losses from rivals Michigan and Ohio State isn’t uncommon each and every year. This season, Penn State doesn’t face the Wolverines, and its toughest game all season will be a home bout against Ohio State. I think the Nittany Lions will play hard and keep it somewhat close but the Buckeyes are arguably the best team in the country. I wouldn’t bet money on Penn State to win, but as a fan, this would warrant a field storming from the home crowd in Beaver Stadium if the Nittany Lions could pull it off.

The other regular season loss I have is against USC. I don’t necessarily think Penn State will be an underdog in this game, but you can’t ignore the long travel to sunny California. Penn State can 100% win this game, but I have a gut feeling it could turn sour for the Nittany Lions if they don’t come out swinging.

In years past, 10-2 doesn’t get you anywhere in regards to the national championship but this year, with the expanded College Football Playoff, 10-2 would slot the Nittany Lions as an away team in the first round. I predict Penn State will draw a No. 10 seed in the bracket and have to travel for the first round of the playoffs. If I had to pick a team the Nittany Lions might face, I’d predict the Longhorns out of Texas. If Penn State was to draw Texas, I’d have a hard time seeing the Nittany Lions emerge victorious. Maybe it’s because of James Franklin’s awful record against top-10 opponents, but it’s hard to imagine Penn State escaping the first round of this year’s College Football Playoff.

CJ Doebler: 10-2, First Round Playoff Exit

Unfortunately, I see another 10-2 season ahead of Penn State football. Behind three new coordinators and a quarterback heading into his second season as a starter, it’s hard to tell where the ceiling for this year’s squad is. I think that Ohio State is going to be another close contest at home, but I still see the Nittany Lions dropping the game against the Buckeyes this season.

Along with the Ohio State loss, I see Penn State dropping one of its away games this season. The away schedule is tough this year, with stops in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Purdue, West Virginia, and USC. Wisconsin and USC jump out as the two toughest road games for the Nittany Lions this season, and I think that the blue and white will drop one of those two.

With two losses, I think Penn State will end up in the College Football Playoff, but with another tough test on the road in the first round.

Mitch Corcoran: 11-1

I don’t feel good about this whatsoever, but I think Penn State football will finish the regular season 11-1. I may not feel good about it, but I think it’s a realistic outcome.

Overall, this year’s schedule is very navigable. I think Penn State starts the season with an ugly win over West Virginia and by the time Big Ten play begins, I expect the Nittany Lions to be 3-0.
Conference play begins with Illinois and UCLA at home, and I expect Penn State to advance to 5-0. UCLA and Illinois are both going to struggle this season and getting them at home early in the season should be an easy two wins.

This is when things get interesting. I think Penn State is more talented and more physical than USC, and I think they’ll get it done in southern California. Traveling to the West Coast without a bye week concerns me, but playing LSU, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Penn State in the first six games of the season would concern me more if I were a Trojans fan.

Penn State remains undefeated going into the second and final bye week before heading to Wisconsin. I think this is a very favorable game for Penn State. Wisconsin goes to Rutgers then Washington the two weeks before playing Penn State.

That’s a brutal stretch for the Badgers and I think Penn State extends its record to 7-0 and is a top-five team in the country until the inevitable happens.

A week later is the Ohio State game (I don’t think I have to explain this one, folks). So, through eight weeks, Penn State is 7-1 heading into the White Out against Washington. After losing a load of players and coaches in the offseason, this Huskies team is very different than the one that went to the national championship. This year’s team will be much worse, but they won’t be a bad team by any means, and they will put up a fight.

The next two games are against Purdue and Minnesota before returning to Happy Valley for the final game of the season against Maryland. Some may see Minnesota as a trap game, but I don’t. The Governor’s Bell stays with the Nittany Lions, in most likely blow-out fashion. Then Purdue and Maryland are C-tier teams, at best, in the very top-heavy Big Ten.

If this prediction comes true, Penn State most likely makes the Big Ten Championship and plays either Oregon or Ohio State, but no matter what, they make the playoff. However, I think it’s short-lived and the Nittany Lions lose to their first opponent.

This prediction could look totally different four months from now, even just a week from now if Penn State loses to West Virginia in week one, but this is a realistic outcome.

Nolan Wick: 10-2

There are plenty of unknown factors regarding Penn State heading into this season, such as how things will look under not one, not two, but three new coordinators, or how a revamped secondary and offensive line will perform.

As much as there is unknown, Penn State will likely go 10-2 again. I actually ranked Penn State’s toughest matchups over the summer, with the November 2 game against Ohio State being far and away the hardest. The Buckeyes look better than they’ve been in a long time, and the Nittany Lions will lose another close game against them.

A second loss against USC or Wisconsin seems fairly likely. The Trojans are dangerous, and Caleb Williams’ replacement, Miller Moss, has potential. Meanwhile, coming off the bye week in a tough Wisconsin environment screams ‘trap game’ to me.

Both losses will be close enough that Penn State still makes the College Football Playoff for the first time, but the Nittany Lions will drop their first-round game against a team such as Georgia, Oregon, or someone else.

Joe Lister: 10-2

You won’t fool me this time, James Franklin.

Ohio State, loss. That’s it.

Wisconsin is also a loss. I’ve been trying to decide if Penn State will lose to Wisconsin or USC and the greatest quarterback of all time, Miller Moss. As much as I think USC is underrated, the Trojans just won’t be as physical as needed for Penn State this year. Wisconsin is a solid team with a scary stadium atmosphere. Penn State will always go 10-2, and someone has to be loss No. 2.

Also, West Virginia isn’t a loss. Get real, twitter dot com.