2024 Penn State Opponents

[Calabrin]

Opponent, current record, current ranking (out of 134 teams)

WVU, 3-4, #75
Bowling Green, 3-4, #109
Kent State, 0-7, #134
Illinois, 6-1, #21
UCLA, 2-5, #85
USC, 3-4, #52

Overall opponent record: 17-25
Overall opponent record - losses to PSU: 17-19
Total opponents with winning record: 1
Total opponents ranked in top-25: 1
Average rank of opponents through week-8: #79

It’s not entirely PSU’s fault that the schedule is so weak this year, though it makes spending millions to squash the likes of Kent State look that much worse.

My main takeaway, though, is that we’ve only faced one decent team, and with the exception of the worst team in CFB, we haven’t exactly dominated these opponents. I’m also concerned that this is likely to be the best team Penn State fields in the Drew Allar era. We’re likely losing a lot of players after this season, so the odds are the 2025 team will not be an overall improvement.

What do you guys think?

 

[LionJim]

Opponent, current record, current ranking (out of 134 teams)

WVU, 3-4, #75
Bowling Green, 3-4, #109
Kent State, 0-7, #134
Illinois, 6-1, #21
UCLA, 2-5, #85
USC, 3-4, #52

Overall opponent record: 17-25
Overall opponent record - losses to PSU: 17-19
Total opponents with winning record: 1
Total opponents ranked in top-25: 1
Average rank of opponents through week-8: #79

It’s not entirely PSU’s fault that the schedule is so weak this year, though it makes spending millions to squash the likes of Kent State look that much worse.

My main takeaway, though, is that we’ve only faced one decent team, and with the exception of the worst team in CFB, we haven’t exactly dominated these opponents. I’m also concerned that this is likely to be the best team Penn State fields in the Drew Allar era. We’re likely losing a lot of players after this season, so the odds are the 2025 team will not be an overall improvement.

What do you guys think?

USC lost four very winnable games. But it doesn’t matter if we beat Wisconsin and OSU.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Opponent, current record, current ranking (out of 134 teams)

WVU, 3-4, #75
Bowling Green, 3-4, #109
Kent State, 0-7, #134
Illinois, 6-1, #21
UCLA, 2-5, #85
USC, 3-4, #52

Overall opponent record: 17-25
Overall opponent record - losses to PSU: 17-19
Total opponents with winning record: 1
Total opponents ranked in top-25: 1
Average rank of opponents through week-8: #79

It’s not entirely PSU’s fault that the schedule is so weak this year, though it makes spending millions to squash the likes of Kent State look that much worse.

My main takeaway, though, is that we’ve only faced one decent team, and with the exception of the worst team in CFB, we haven’t exactly dominated these opponents. I’m also concerned that this is likely to be the best team Penn State fields in the Drew Allar era. We’re likely losing a lot of players after this season, so the odds are the 2025 team will not be an overall improvement.

What do you guys think?

Don't know where you're pulling your "current ranking" for our opponents, but USC is certainly too low in this metric.

 

[ApexLion]

Opponent, current record, current ranking (out of 134 teams)

WVU, 3-4, #75
Bowling Green, 3-4, #109
Kent State, 0-7, #134
Illinois, 6-1, #21
UCLA, 2-5, #85
USC, 3-4, #52

Overall opponent record: 17-25
Overall opponent record - losses to PSU: 17-19
Total opponents with winning record: 1
Total opponents ranked in top-25: 1
Average rank of opponents through week-8: #79

It’s not entirely PSU’s fault that the schedule is so weak this year, though it makes spending millions to squash the likes of Kent State look that much worse.

My main takeaway, though, is that we’ve only faced one decent team, and with the exception of the worst team in CFB, we haven’t exactly dominated these opponents. I’m also concerned that this is likely to be the best team Penn State fields in the Drew Allar era. We’re likely losing a lot of players after this season, so the odds are the 2025 team will not be an overall improvement.

What do you guys think?

One word: Detroit

 

[JWB389]

Curious what the combined records of the rest of the top 10 look like.

 

[Nits1989]

USC lost four very winnable games. But it doesn’t matter if we beat Wisconsin and OSU.

You are absolutely right.

 

[Midnighter]

Opponent, current record, current ranking (out of 134 teams)

WVU, 3-4, #75
Bowling Green, 3-4, #109
Kent State, 0-7, #134
Illinois, 6-1, #21
UCLA, 2-5, #85
USC, 3-4, #52

Overall opponent record: 17-25
Overall opponent record - losses to PSU: 17-19
Total opponents with winning record: 1
Total opponents ranked in top-25: 1
Average rank of opponents through week-8: #79

It’s not entirely PSU’s fault that the schedule is so weak this year, though it makes spending millions to squash the likes of Kent State look that much worse.

My main takeaway, though, is that we’ve only faced one decent team, and with the exception of the worst team in CFB, we haven’t exactly dominated these opponents. I’m also concerned that this is likely to be the best team Penn State fields in the Drew Allar era. We’re likely losing a lot of players after this season, so the odds are the 2025 team will not be an overall improvement.

What do you guys think?

USC is definitely better than their record, but the numbers are the numbers. Season has hinged on this stretch of games (USC, Wisc., OSU) and we're 1-0 so far.

 

[Calabrin]

Don't know where you're pulling your "current ranking" for our opponents, but USC is certainly too low in this metric.

The source was the New York Times.

 

[Calabrin]

USC is definitely better than their record, but the numbers are the numbers. Season has hinged on this stretch of games (USC, Wisc., OSU) and we're 1-0 so far.

Could certainly be true. Their losses are mostly by very slim margins. However, in situations like these, I ask myself, “Would my reaction be different if Penn State was 3-4 with 3 of their losses being razor thin?”

I think I’d be pretty pissed.

also, two of their losses are to Minnesota and Maryland which… the fact that those teams were able to hang in there…?

 

[PrtLng Lion]

Agreed it doesn't necessarily look impressive in terms of SOS. But if PSU finishes at 12-0 or 11-1, it won't matter if we win every game by single digits.

 

[Calabrin]

Agreed it doesn't necessarily look impressive in terms of SOS. But if PSU finishes at 12-0 or 11-1, it won't matter if we win every game by single digits.

Absolutely true. Michigan had a similar road last year with a very weak schedule and we all know how that turned out.

It is frustrating, though, because the schedule is in our favor, and that aligned with a season in which our on-field talent is high, and then you watch these games against these flimsy opponents and it’s like, “Why do we appear to be struggling so much?”

You know what else? The impact of the Ohio State game is significantly reduced this season. It means more to OSU because they’ve already lost. But us? We can lose that game, and as long as we beat everyone else, we’re hosting a playoff game.

 

[JWB389]

Agreed it doesn't necessarily look impressive in terms of SOS. But if PSU finishes at 12-0 or 11-1, it won't matter if we win every game by single digits.

12 team playoff mostly eliminates the weak schedule argument. Undefeated you’re in. Lose 1, you’re probably in. Lose 2 with a weak schedule, you’re probably out. Lose 2 with a tough schedule, you’re on the bubble.

 

[doctornick]

12 team playoff mostly eliminates the weak schedule argument. Undefeated you’re in. Lose 1, you’re probably in. Lose 2 with a weak schedule, you’re probably out. Lose 2 with a tough schedule, you’re on the bubble.

It doesn't eliminate the discussion, it just shifts it to the 2 and 3 loss teams. It will actually be quite interesting to see how the CFP committee considers schedule strength especially for non-conference games that a team has control over.

 

[NewEra 2014]

Absolutely true. Michigan had a similar road last year with a very weak schedule and we all know how that turned out.

It is frustrating, though, because the schedule is in our favor, and that aligned with a season in which our on-field talent is high, and then you watch these games against these flimsy opponents and it’s like, “Why do we appear to be struggling so much?”

You know what else? The impact of the Ohio State game is significantly reduced this season. It means more to OSU because they’ve already lost. But us? We can lose that game, and as long as we beat everyone else, we’re hosting a playoff game.

We aren’t “struggling so much”. The only game that was in doubt was USC.

 

[PSUFBFAN]

It doesn't eliminate the discussion, it just shifts it to the 2 and 3 loss teams. It will actually be quite interesting to see how the CFP committee considers schedule strength especially for non-conference games that a team has control over.

The committee will predetermine which ($EC) teams they want in the playoff and then formulate their criteria to justify those choices.

 

[Bones80]

Wonder if people actually watched the games? Talking heads had us losing to WVU. Overcame a road trip, weather delay, and three new coordinators to win comfortably. People complained that not enough wrs touched the ball. Next game, there are huge communication issues defensively in the first half (KW out early and inability to understand Allen) are resolved in second half and BG is shut down. Didn’t beat KS by 70 so there must be problems. Beat Illinois by 14 (missed 2 fgs) by running the ball to control the game and strangle their offense and there’s something wrong with our passing game. Face a new QB with no film and allow UCLA to drive but not score and the whole team must be collapsing. Get behind early to SC which results in a pass focused offense and there’s something wrong with the running game. Just relax. For everything “wrong “ with this team, they are 6-0 and favored in all but the OSU game.