What's the Penn State football ceiling and floor in 2024?: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for May 14 include the ceiling and floor for the Lions in 2024, headlines of the day, and more.
It’s time to dive into Tuesday’s top tweets and headlines about the Nittany Lions and college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
We start with a look at how two national college football voices think Penn State can do in 2024. On3 writer and host Andy Staples was joined by recruiting rankings assistant Cody Bellaire on Staples’ show to discuss the ceiling and floor for each Big Ten team. For the Lions, the high water mark would be not just making the newly-expanded 12-team College Football Playoff but also winning at least one game in it.
“No team, probably, needed a 12-team playoff more than Penn State. Penn State is a team that would have been in a 12-team playoff a bunch during the James Franklin era,” Staples said. “The knock on James Franklin is that they can’t seem to get past the elite teams in their conference. This will allow them to play the elite teams if they can continue to be as good as they’ve been in the regular season. They will get their opportunity in the postseason to play elite teams and prove that one way or another.”
Added Bellaire:
“I completely agree. I have 11-1 as my best case, only loss being to Ohio State. Make it to the Playoff. Maybe make a run at a national title. Don’t see them winning it necessarily, but you’re in there.”
The floor, in the mind of both analysts, is a 9-3 season or worse. That would keep the Lions again on the outside looking in at the CFP.
“Again the scenario that scares me if you’re Penn State is that West Virginia game,” Bellaire said. “If you drop game one, I think the pressure hits a ridiculous rate and that’s a team that could go 8-4, 9-3 if that happens.”
Headlines of the day
Freshman Linebacker Anthony Speca Brings ‘Influential’ Personality to Penn State: Wogenrich, SI
PSU transfer portal stock report: Jalen Kimber: Pickel, BWI
Penn State Athletics: What’s Next? Seven Ideas Following the First Round of Facility Upgrades: Jones, Statecollege.com
PSU portal tracker: How many Lions are still looking for a new place to play?: Pickel, BWI
Penn State film review | TE commit Matt Henderson a multifaceted playmaker in receiving game: Alenstein, Daily Collegian
Predicting the win total ceiling, floor for Penn State in 2024: Morrison, On3
Penn State QB Drew Allar on pressure, expectations and what’s driving him in 2024: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Quote of the day
“Conversely, you look at the beginning of that schedule, you start with West Virginia. That is extremely interesting…if this team slips up early, that stretch against USC, Wisconsin, Ohio State, you feel the pressure a little bit more if you’re James Franklin than you would if you’re going into that stretch 5-0.”
“So, I think he feels a lot of pressure going into this. Yes, the playoff expands, which helps them out, but you’ve got to come out in Week 1 and you’ve got to hope that Drew Allar is turning into the guy you thought he was gonna be when you named him the starter. This is a very pivotal year for him.”
–On3’s Cody Bellaire on PSU during an appearance in The Andy Staples Show.
