do we win out over next 4 games?

[Connorpozlee]

I remember when we lost to Michigan is ‘05 and I was worried about how the team would come out against Illinois. The leadership of that team resulted in a ridiculous first half ambush that included a play where I thought Tamba Hali was going to decapitated their QB until he showed some mercy at the last moment and let up just a bit. Let’s see what kind of leadership and pride this group has. As frustrating as that loss was (yet again) it was by no means a season ender. Still a lot to play for.

 

[Lionville]

Fair enough on the Michigan spread. But, they blew out teams that collectiively have a losing record, including a D-1AA and a G5 team. And by an 11 game deficit.

Again, don't take anything away from Curt Cignettti. But he has been significantly helped by playing some bad teams and a couple of mediocre teams. And I still don't see them beating OSU.

Nebraska played at Indiana and lost by 49. They followed that up with a trip to Columbus where they led in the 4th quarter only to lose by 4.
Indiana is for real. I won’t be surprised if they beat OSU.

 

[Anon1640372757]

Get rid of Franklin, and the answer is yes.

 

[MtNittany]

It's not real hard to argue that losing Saturday was the best thing that happened to our national championship hopes. Avoiding ORE and getting a home game (should we win out) will put us ahead of the game. Need to play and coach better the rest of the season and keep on improving.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Good post.

The advantage to that is they don't play in the CCG and get a week's rest before the playoff game.

It won't be long until folks figure out that playing in the conference championship is mostly all risk with little reward as far as the playoffs are concerned. Yes, a conference title is nice, but when folks see that both participants are in the CFP regardless of the outcome, why risk potential injuries just prior the the playoff? Can you imagine how we would feel if we got into the CCG and Drew and Tyler Warren (or Abdul) suffered a season ending injury in that game? And ... you lose the game and then have to play the first round a week or so later?

I'd say getting a 1st round bye is certainly more than "little reward".

 

[psuro]

Nebraska played at Indiana and lost by 49. They followed that up with a trip to Columbus where they led in the 4th quarter only to lose by 4.
Indiana is for real. I won’t be surprised if they beat OSU.

Aaah yes....the transitive property of college football.....

Always works....

 

[MtNittany]

Aaah yes....the transitive property of college football.....

Always works....

IU laughs at the transitive property. They don't need it. They can roll Tosu on their own. And they will.

 

[psuro]

IU laughs at the transitive property. They don't need it. They can roll Tosu on their own. And they will.

We will have to wait and find out.

 

[Mufasa94]

I'd say getting a 1st round bye is certainly more than "little reward".

For the SEC/B1G, I’d say the punishment for the loser playing an extra game outweighs the reward of winning an extra game to avoid another game.

For a potential 2-loss KSU or CU, the CCG would be a great idea and opportunity.

 

[LB99]

I love the schedule. I say a 4-0 finish for the Lions.

It should be on paper and I’m an optimist, so I think it is likely. However, Washington will be a challenge despite their record. They are well coached, they just lost a ton of talent last year and are in a bit of a rebuild, but they are formidable. Minny away is the quintessential trap game. They will bore you to death pounding the ground game and the defense into submission. Their RB is very good. I watched them overpower USC this way. By the 4th quarter the USC defense had nothing for them. They were exhausted. They can pull out a pass when needed also. Their QB is experienced and he is savvy. FYI, Christian Driver is one of their WRs.

 

[Nitt1300]

It doesn't matter, number 2 is just the first loser

 

[LB99]

The chances of us HOSTING a Playoff Game are now slim to none. That would mean Indiana would HAVE to lose to Ohio State, and I don’t think they will. Even if Indiana loses, HOSTING a game would be a long shot because that would mean we would have to beat out the loser of the Ohio State/Oregon Championship Game, the SEC leftovers after their Championship Game, Notre Dame, and everyone else for spots 5,6,7, and 8.

USC could be our best friend if they somehow knock off Notre Dame. That means they would be putting us ahead of both LSU AND Notre Dame in the pecking order. If Notre Dame smokes them, we could be in trouble wrt HOSTING a Game.

I don’t think this is true. Every pundit I have heard regarding the playoff in the past 48hrs still thinks PSU gets a home game to open the playoffs if they win out. Also, Gary Danielson was on XM College Sports channel and said he wholeheartedly believes the B1G and SEC both get 4 teams in.

 

[blion72]

Aaah yes....the transitive property of college football.....

Always works....

if only teams were the same every week, so the identity principle works X = X.

I think PSU team that played WVU is NOT the same as the one that played tOSU, or X not = X.

 

[PSUSignore]

Good post.

The advantage to that is they don't play in the CCG and get a week's rest before the playoff game.

It won't be long until folks figure out that playing in the conference championship is mostly all risk with little reward as far as the playoffs are concerned. Yes, a conference title is nice, but when folks see that both participants are in the CFP regardless of the outcome, why risk potential injuries just prior the the playoff? Can you imagine how we would feel if we got into the CCG and Drew and Tyler Warren (or Abdul) suffered a season ending injury in that game? And ... you lose the game and then have to play the first round a week or so later?

The #5 seed is the optimal spot to be IMO especially if you get it without playing in the conference title game. But for that to happen you probably need the championship game loser to have 2 losses while you have only 1 loss, and even then might need some strength of schedule arguments to jump over the 2 loss team.

The 5 seed will likely host the G5 team as the 12 seed in round one, which will likely be the weakest team in the field. Win, and you play the 4 seed in round two which is likely to be the ACC or Big 12 champ and way less dangerous than the SEC and Big 10 champs and likely still a better matchup than some of the lower ranked Big 10 and SEC teams. After that of course it gets tough but that's to be expected if you make it to the final 4.

For example, using the current AP polls OSU would be the 5 seed and would get Boise State in round one and BYU in round two. That is by far the easiest path to the final 4 of any team in the playoffs.

 

[Calabrin]

If we can overcome the disappointment from the Ohio State game and beat Washington this upcoming weekend, we will win out.

This.

How they come out next weekend will be a huge determining factor, and that includes the playcalling which was infuriatingly conservative against Ohio State— again! Because what do you when you’re 1-9 against a team that you always challenge with ultra-conservative play-calls? Keep forcing the run and dumping the ball off at the line, baby! Play scared, and never learn anything!

If they come out next week with swagger and lay a convicting win on Washington, they’ll win out. If they put up another tepid offensive performance and throw all their passes for 2-3 yards, they’re gonna eat at least 1 more loss to someone.

 

[Alphabets]

That would be an epic collapse, almost as disastrous as 1999.

I came into this thread thinking 1999. I hope I'm wrong. We should go 4-0, anything less is 1999.

 

[BUFFALO LION]

I don’t think this is true. Every pundit I have heard regarding the playoff in the past 48hrs still thinks PSU gets a home game to open the playoffs if they win out. Also, Gary Danielson was on XM College Sports channel and said he wholeheartedly believes the B1G and SEC both get 4 teams in.

He’s right we get 4 teams in. But seeds 5,6,7, and 8 won’t be 3 out of 4 Big Ten teams. At best it would be 2 of 4. And if Indiana beats Ohio State, we will be playing on the road.

Even if Indiana LOSES to Ohio State, the loser of the Ohio State/Oregon game would still trump us for a Home Game. That would mean we would have to beat out Notre Dame, and two of Texas/Georgia/ or Tennessee for that 4th slot. If USC beats Notre Dame, we might be OK. If Notre Dame takes USC to the woodshed, and is 11-1, we will probably be in trouble (for a Home game).

 

[LB99]

He’s right we get 4 teams in. But seeds 5,6,7, and 8 won’t be 3 out of 4 Big Ten teams. At best it would be 2 of 4. And if Indiana beats Ohio State, we will be playing on the road.

Even if Indiana LOSES to Ohio State, the loser of the Ohio State/Oregon game would still trump us for a Home Game. That would mean we would have to beat out Notre Dame, and two of Texas/Georgia/ or Tennessee for that 4th slot. If USC beats Notre Dame, we might be OK. If Notre Dame takes USC to the woodshed, and is 11-1, we will probably be in trouble (for a Home game).

If Oregon wins the B1G they get a bye so B1G teams #2 & 3 may still get a home game. I’m just telling you what is being discussed already by the pundits. PSU would most likely get the tiebreaker over Indiana based on SOS. This was discussed on Sunday’s XM college sports show.

 

[Pittston-Lion]

the media analysts all seem to suggest that we win these games without issue. We have a team that is playing injured/hurt, and not at our best. The team we started the season with was materially in better shape. I think if we played tOSU on opening day we might have beaten them, and they are playing hurt also.

• Washington is much tougher than their record. Outside of USC they have outgained every opponent. Indiana was very lucky in that game.
• Minnesota - playing tough and weather factor.
• Purdue can show some resistance at their place. We should prevail.
• Maryland - we usually handle them home or away.

best case we run the table. If we don't run the table, making the playoff could be dicey.

I wouldn’t say Indiana was lucky, they won by 14 without their starting QB and looking at the box score was a 2/3 score game throughout.

 

[BUFFALO LION]

If Oregon wins the B1G they get a bye so B1G teams #2 & 3 may still get a home game.

But teams 2, 3, and 4 won’t. If Indiana beats Ohio State, we are 4. If Indiana loses to Ohio State, we are 3, but will probably still need help to get a Home Game.

 

[bdgan]

the media analysts all seem to suggest that we win these games without issue. We have a team that is playing injured/hurt, and not at our best. The team we started the season with was materially in better shape. I think if we played tOSU on opening day we might have beaten them, and they are playing hurt also.

• Washington is much tougher than their record. Outside of USC they have outgained every opponent. Indiana was very lucky in that game.
• Minnesota - playing tough and weather factor.
• Purdue can show some resistance at their place. We should prevail.
• Maryland - we usually handle them home or away.

best case we run the table. If we don't run the table, making the playoff could be dicey.

I give us a 60% chance to win out. ESPN gives us a 68% chance of beating Minnesota and the other 3 games are less than 100%.

For the SEC/B1G, I’d say the punishment for the loser playing an extra game outweighs the reward of winning an extra game to avoid another game.

For a potential 2-loss KSU or CU, the CCG would be a great idea and opportunity.

If OSU loses to Oregon in the title game they will still be ranked ahead of PSU.

 

[Mr. Potter]

I sure hope so. But if the case is not to be please, let the team lose this Saturday. I don't want to get my hopes crushed with the thought of making the College Football Playoff any longer than necessary.

 

[PSUFBFAN]

I give us a 60% chance to win out. ESPN gives us a 68% chance of beating Minnesota and the other 3 games are less than 100%.

If OSU loses to Oregon in the title game they will still be ranked ahead of PSU.

Why? The precedent has already been established (2016) that head to head doesn't matter, so our loss to OSU will be ignored if we finish with one fewer loss than them.

I just wish I believe that.

 

[Nitt1300]

I came into this thread thinking 1999. I hope I'm wrong. We should go 4-0, anything less is 1999.

I think this team has more character than that

 

[Alphabets]

I think this team has more character than that

But, Lavar!!!!!