Penn State Football

Playoff Ranking: Penn State Projected to Face Curt Cignetti

Published

November 26, 2024

Curt Cignetti and Indiana need both Ohio State and Penn State to lose as massive home favorites to have a chance to make it to the Big Ten title game.

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 23: Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti talks to his players during the game against the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 23, 2024, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

The latest College Football Playoff rankings are out, and Penn State football’s ranking still puts it in position to host a Playoff game.

Just like last week, Penn State is No. 4, behind only Oregon, Ohio State and Texas.

Penn State and Oregon won’t play in the regular season despite Oregon now being in the Big Ten, and it can only play Texas if the stars at night align deep in the heart of the Playoffs. Penn State did play Ohio State in the regular season, losing 20-13. But players have expressed a desire to play the Buckeyes again, and thanks to the 12-team format, it can happen.

‘THE TOM ALLEN BOWL’

Before Penn State, Tom Allen was the head coach at Indiana for seven seasons.

BLOOMINGTON, IN – NOVEMBER 18: Indiana Head Coach Tom Allen following a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Indiana Hoosiers on November 18, 2023 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire)

Penn State’s projected opponent is none other than Indiana, which fired PSU’s current defensive coordinator last season. Curt Cignetti replaced Tom Allen, and has started 10-1.

Shortly after he got the IU job, Cignetti commented that “Purdue sucks, but so does Ohio State.”

Wonder what he thinks of Penn State? Regardless, Penn State still has a higher ranking than Indiana.

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BUT FIRST…

Penn State and Maryland will end their regular seasons against each other.

Penn State RB Kaytron Allen reminds Maryland’s Ja’Quan Shepard of the score.

For Penn State to host a game or even make it to the Playoff, it must beat Maryland Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium. Maryland is 4-7 and 25-point underdogs, so, yeah, Penn State is expected to win and win big.

Penn State coach James Franklin was an assistant there for a total of eight seasons over two separate stints (2000-04, 2008-10). By 2010, Franklin was Maryland’s assistant head coach. But when head coach Ralph Fridgen was fired, Franklin was passed over for the Maryland job. He ended up going to Vanderbilt, and the rest of history.

So does Franklin have hard feelings toward Maryland? Maybe. Maybe not. What’s a proven fact, though, is that five of Franklin’s eight wins against Maryland have been by 30 points or more.

If Penn State wins, it will be its first 11-win regular since 2008.

If Penn State wins against Maryland Saturday, it will be PSU's first 11-win regular season since 2008. @NittanySN

— Austin Bechtold (@AustinRBechtold) November 27, 2024