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Penn State postseason projections: Where are the Lions slotted in the College Football Playoff brackets?

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel11/26/24GregPickel
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Penn State head coach James Franklin. (Photo Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images)

Penn State is a win away from clinching a spot in the first 12-team College Football Playoff. The 10-1 Nittany Lions simply must beat Maryland to make the postseason tournament for the first time in the James Franklin era. They are favored to do so by three touchdowns on Senior Day at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network. Assuming a victory is in the cards, the next question for Penn State will focus on whether or not it will host a first round game in State College. Here’s what the latest media projections have to say about that.

Penn State postseason projections

On3 national college football writers Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples both have Penn State hosting a home game on either Dec. 20 or Dec. 21. They both have No. 11 SMU at the No. 6 Nittany Lions.

“James Franklin faked a punt and went for two more fourth downs to salt away a one-point win at Minnesota,” Staples writes. “That’s probably how he’ll have to call the game to win in the CFP. The Nittany Lions will know before they kick off at Maryland whether Ohio State has locked up the other spot in the Big Ten title game.”

For CBS Sports, Jerry Palm has the Nittany Lions at No. 7 and hosting No. 10 Tennessee. Kyle Bonaguara of ESPN does, too. At The Action Network, Brett McMurphy has the Lions hosting the Volunteers, too. But, he has it as an 8/9 matchup in State College. And, Mark Schlabach of ESPN has No. 10 Arizona State at the No. 7 Nittany Lions.

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“I have No. 5 Ohio State, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Penn State and No. 8 Texas surviving first-round games at home and advancing to the quarterfinals,” Schlabach writes. “Oregon’s path in my bracket seems a little easier than Kyle’s. Ohio State would face the easiest path, outside of having to play three games, with potential games against SMU and Boise State to reach the semifinals. On the other side of the bracket, I have Georgia defeating Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, where those teams played for a national championship in 1980, and Miami taking down Penn State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.”

All told, all experts expect Penn State to host a home Playoff game. Who they face, however, is extremely up in the air. The same is true of what seed the Lions will be. But, it’s as simple as this: Win out by beating Maryland and let the chips fall where they may.

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