Head coach James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions are coming off their second consecutive 10-plus-win season, nevertheless it has come with out an look within the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
That mentioned, with a 12-team playoff making its debut within the sport subsequent season, is Penn State poised to make its first look within the Faculty Soccer Playoff?
On the most recent version of “The No. 1 Faculty Soccer Present with RJ Younger,” host RJ Younger defined why he is cautiously optimistic that the Nittany Lions will break by means of.
“I will say hit, tentatively, as a result of there are 12 groups which are going to earn picks … I believe there’s nonetheless room for Penn State, for USC, for the runner-up within the Large Ten Championship Sport to get there. It is also actually useful to Penn State that they do not have divisions anymore,” Younger mentioned about whether or not Penn State will make the playoff in 2024. “The factor that was holding Penn State again is that they had Ohio State and Michigan of their division, and that is in a yr during which Michigan State occurred to not be good, and there have been some years in there the place Michigan State was completely good, and but nonetheless, Penn State simply cannot get to the promised land of the Faculty Soccer Playoff, not as a result of they don’t seem to be good, however simply because they don’t seem to be higher than Michigan or Ohio State, and it is a four-team playoff.
“I believe that they might be a type of three or 4 finest Large Ten groups, and we’re in all probability going to place the fourth-best Large Ten workforce in earlier than we put in say the fourth-best ACC workforce as a result of, proper now, we expect extra of the Large Ten than we do of the ACC and the Large 12 for that matter.”
The brand new format pencils within the 5 highest-ranked convention winners into the playoff, with the highest 4 getting a first-round bye, and 7 subsequent at-large bids.
The Nittany Lions had been a well-oiled machine on each side of the ball final season. Their offense averaged 215.0 passing yards (fifth within the Large Ten), 185.2 dashing yards (first), 400.2 complete yards (second) and 36.2 factors per sport. Defensively, they surrendered simply 153.6 passing yards (third), 69.7 dashing yards (first), 223.3 complete yards (first) and 11.4 factors (third) per sport.
In what was his first season as Penn State’s full-time beginning quarterback, Drew Allar totaled 2,631 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 136.9 passer score, whereas finishing 59.9% of his passes. He additionally rushed for 206 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the meantime, the one-two operating again punch of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton mixed for 1,654 yards and 14 touchdowns on the bottom, whereas Singleton additionally reeled in 26 receptions for 308 yards and two scores.
So, what went incorrect?
Penn State misplaced to Ohio State, 20-12, racking up simply 240 complete yards and stretching its shedding streak to the Buckeyes to seven. It additionally misplaced to Michigan, 24-15, racking up simply 238 complete yards and stretching its shedding streak to the Wolverines to 3. The Nittany Lions then misplaced to the Ole Miss Rebels within the Peach Bowl, 38-25.
Hit or Miss: Is Penn State a CFP workforce?
If Penn State goes to make a leap in 2024, Younger sees Allar as the important thing.
“[Franklin’s] going to want Drew Allar to get it collectively. I perceive your frustration for those who’re a Penn State fan about how we speak about Drew Allar as a result of you recognize, like I do know, he is acquired the products; he is gifted. It is all there for him, and he is chippy sufficient to go on the market and do it, however he does not appear like the dude that may get it performed,” Younger mentioned. “He is acquired a howitzer for an arm, however he isn’t correct, and even then, they had been afraid to let that man throw the ball down the sphere.”
As for subsequent season, the Large Ten is welcoming USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington to the convention, creating an 18-team league with out the West vs. East format to find out who performs within the convention title sport. Oregon is the one one of many Large Ten newcomers that Penn State does not play in 2024, whereas it additionally does not play Michigan.
Penn State hasn’t received the Large Ten since 2016 and is 88-39 underneath Franklin (2014-present), with 5 10-plus-win seasons.
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