Penn State Football: 2017 season preview, predictions
2017 schedule
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
| 1 | Sept. 2 | vs. Akron | University Park, Penn. |
| 2 | Sept. 9 | vs. Pittsburgh | University Park, Penn. |
| 3 | Sept. 16 | vs. Georgia State | University Park, Penn. |
| 4 | Sept. 23 | at Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa |
| 5 | Sept. 30 | vs. Indiana | University Park, Penn. |
| 6 | Oct. 7 | at Northwestern | Evanston, Ill. |
| 7 | Oct. 14 | BYE WEEK | |
| 8 | Oct. 21 | vs. Michigan | University Park, Penn. |
| 9 | Oct. 28 | at Ohio State | Columbus, Ohio |
| 10 | Nov. 4 | at Michigan State | East Lansing, Mich. |
| 11 | Nov. 11 | vs. Rutgers | University Park, Penn. |
| 12 | Nov. 18 | vs. Nebraska | University Park, Penn. |
| 13 | Nov. 25 | at Maryland | College Park, Md. |
Some may wonder what the Nittany Lions have to do differently in 2017 in order to make the College Football Playoff. Well, the answer is quite simple: don’t get off to a horrid start.
As tough as it is for Penn State fans, players and coaches to hear, that first month of the season is the only reason the Nittany Lions didn’t make the playoff. In fact, if they had started 3-1 or 4-0 instead of 2-2, it would have resulted in a matchup with Clemson, Washington or Alabama in the playoff’s first round. Heck, even if they were 2-2 with a close loss to Michigan instead of a blowout it could have been different.
Luckily for Penn State, the schedule is much easier in the first month this year. It will look to exact revenge, at home, against in-state rival Pitt in Week 2 and the Nittany Lions could very well head into the Week 7 bye with a 6-0 record.
Following that bye, though, it gets rough. The Nittany Lions will face Michigan at home before traveling to Ohio State and Michigan State in the next two weeks, respectively. That’s what you call a gauntlet.
They end the season with a layup at home against Rutgers and then a semi-difficult contest against Nebraska in Happy Valley followed by a very winnable road game against Maryland.
Next: College Football: Top 50 breakout candidates for 2017
Prediction: 11-1, 8-1 Big Ten
There are a handful of games on the Nittany Lions’ 2017 schedule that scream “trap” but if this team can stay poised, it’s likely to come out on the winning end. These guys are battle-tested already, so I have no doubt the composure will be there in road games against Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State and Michigan State, but I still say they lose one of those four — likely against the Buckeyes.
The rest of the schedule will be filled with Ws as the Nittany Lions get revenge on Michigan and Pitt en route to an 11-1 record and tie atop the Big Ten East. Ohio State gets the head-to-head tie-breaker, though.