On3 Roundtable: What is a successful season for Penn State in 2023

Penn State is once again up against the odds regarding its conference schedule this year. Battles against the likes of Ohio State and Michigan on the docket have made it impossible for the Nittany Lions to get over the hump since head coach James Franklin has been running the show.

Blue White Illustrated’s Sean Fitz joined JD PicKell at the On3 Roundtable to discuss what his expectations for the Nittany Lions will be in 2023.

“Given the window that they think they’re in and the talent that they have on this roster, they’re shooting for the playoff. I think you can dance around that the last couple of years,” Fitz told PicKell. “Now you think you’ve got those pieces in place. The running game, the two backs are fantastic. The offensive line is experienced and they’ll be back. The defense is, I think it’s gonna be really good — we don’t talk enough about the defense.

“The elephant in the room is that two-game season in Ohio State and Michigan. I think if you win 10 games and you split those two, that might change the math a little bit. But they’re looking to get to 11 [wins] and they’re looking to take one of those games from those, premium teams in the Big Ten East. … They’re looking to make it in that four-team playoff before it expands.”

Fitz believes it does matter for head coach James Franklin’s reputation in terms of getting the program on the same level as the aforementioned teams and into the College Football Playoffs. The Nittany Lions have been on the fringe for so long, and an 11-win season — including a victory over the Buckeyes or Wolverines — would make it hard for the committee to overlook them.

Still, last season was the third time Franklin has notched 11 wins with Penn State during his nine-year stay in Happy Valley. Franklin’s only claim to victory over Ohio State came during a 24-21 upset in the infamous Block Six game — which doubled as Franklin’s first win over a ranked opponent as head coach. That season, Penn State finished the season 11-3 and missed out on the CFP.

A repeat of that season, which ended in a Rose Bowl loss, isn’t something Franklin is keen on facing again. They’d rather remember the good times of that year, all 11 wins of it — Fitz’s benchmark for a 2023-24 Nittany Lions playoff run.