For many, Penn State needs to make the College Football Playoff— at minimum— for 2024 to be considered a success, and plenty of projections have that happening.
There are plenty of reasons to believe it will happen.
With plenty of key players on offense (Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, Kaytorn Allen) and defense (Abdul Carter, Dani Dennis-Sutton, KJ Winston) coming back from a team that went 10-3 and was in the top 10 for most of last season, PSU is starting 2024 ranked No. 8.
Unlike in previous years when the College Football Playoff only took four teams, the field has tripled to 12. Had this format existed starting in 2016, Penn State would have made it in six of the last eight seasons, the most recent being 2023. Despite this, at least one major analyst has Penn State out of the picture.
Andy Staples of On3Sports has Ohio State and Michigan in the field but not PSU.
NEW: Preseason College Football Playoff Bracketology via @Andy_Staples🍿
Do you agree? ⬇️https://t.co/KxoGT0eijb pic.twitter.com/16oZDHii6z
— On3 (@On3sports) August 21, 2024
Although many Penn State fans won’t agree with Staples’ projection, they’ll agree with this line from his article:
“If they actually wound up here, the fanbase would melt down.”
Staples also has Penn State out of the field despite PSU finishing No. 12 in his projected final rankings.
How is this possible?
Well, the playoff format automatically takes each of the power four conference champions— Staples projects Ohio State (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Florida State (ACC) and Kansas State (Big 12)— and then seven at-large bids. So even if Penn State finishes ahead of Boise State, Staples’ projected Group of Five champion, Boise State would go to the Playoff if Penn State doesn’t finish in the top 11.
Staples’ at-large bids are, in order, Alabama, Oregon, Texas, Ole Miss, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Boise State.
Regardless of any playoff projections, Penn State opens its season Saturday, Aug. 31 against West Virginia in Morgantown. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Fox.
