Penn State Football: Can Nittany Lions replace key players in 2018?

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: (L-R) Grant Haley #15, Nick Scott #4, head coach James Franklin, Marcus Allen #2 and Troy Apke #28 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walk out to field arm in arm before the start of the second half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Nittany Lions defeated the Huskies 35-28. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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Penn State football has been on the cusp of the College Football Playoff the last two seasons. Is 2018 the year they get in?

The last two seasons at Penn State have been a dream for Nittany Lion fans. Back in 2012 when the program was heavily sanctioned by the NCAA, not a single one thought the Lions would have back to back 11 win seasons and a Big Ten championship within five years. If they did, they were lying to themselves.

James Franklin is in the midst of taking Penn State to heights not seen in Happy Valley in over a decade. The last two years they have been very close to getting into the College Football Playoff, last year coming four points short in two games from going undefeated in the regular season.

The Lions look to be in the mix of the Big Ten East division race once again this season. Despite losing several key pieces on both sides of the ball, Franklin has been recruiting well. He is close to having Penn State at a reloading point rather than rebuilding.

The schedule in the loaded Big Ten East is of course never a cake walk. But it’s pretty favorable with most of the big boys visiting Beaver Stadium. Can the Lions pull off a third straight double-digit winning season? Let’s preview both sides of the ball and make some predictions.

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