Next Three Games Show What Penn State's Season Will Be, With CFP in Mind

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Penn State did what it had to do throughout the first three weeks of the season, even if it wasn’t really that impressive. 

A 45-0 win against Marshall, beating Buffalo 55-13, and its most disappointing win against Temple, 27-9, were all kind of what we expected. 

If Penn State had lost any of those games, we’d all be throwing our hands up right now and screaming about how bad the team looks.

However, as we look at the next couple of weeks, there are a lot of things that need to be answered. 

Penn State has two games against teams it should beat, taking on Wisconsin in Happy Valley on Saturday night and then Northwestern on the road for a night game. As Penn State prepares for those two games, it must win both. 

However, it’s that third game against the No. 12-ranked USC Trojans that might be the biggest of them all, at least according to ESPN.

“The Nittany Lions have passed their first test under first-year coach Matt Campbell, rolling to three easy victories during the nonconference slate. With a 55-13 victory over Buffalo, Penn State outscored its nonconference opponents (including Marshall and Temple) by an average of five touchdowns. 

“But the tune-up is over, as the Nittany enter Big Ten play. An improved Wisconsin visits State College this weekend, followed by a Friday night trip to Northwestern for the Wildcats' new stadium debut. Then comes the showdown at home against USC. The next three games will reveal whether the Nittany Lions can emerge into a legitimate Big Ten title and playoff contender,” Jake Trotter of ESPN wrote.

If Penn State wants any chance of making the College Football Playoff, it absolutely has to beat either USC or Michigan, which comes in at No. 18. Penn State is currently No. 13 in the country, according to the AP poll. 

Beating USC at home seems possible, especially after the Trojans struggled against Rutgers and didn’t do a whole lot on the defensive side of things.

If Penn State were to lose both of those games, it almost feels safe to say that it won’t be a College Football Playoff team because of the lack of a good win it would have beyond that.

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