The Penn State Nittany Lions enter the 2024 season ranked No. 9 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the AP Poll.
The program’s top-ten status reflected a 10-3 season last year. Still, it is also lower than the 2023 preseason ranking (7th) due to several unknowns regarding the offense, which showed plenty of inconsistency last season.
Related: Five things to know about the Big Ten in 2024
Expectations are high entering 2024 for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and Penn State as they push for a College Football Playoff spot with its expansion this year. A three-game stretch against USC, Wisconsin and Ohio State will define the Nittany Lions season. Three wins, and Penn State is all but locked in the College Football Playoff.
With kickoff against West Virginia approaching fast, USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg power-ranked all 134 FBS schools ahead of the 2024 season.
Penn State is within Myerberg’s top ten, at No. 9 as the third-highest-ranked Big Ten squad behind Ohio State (2nd) and Oregon (4th). Other Big Ten teams ranked in the top half are Michigan (16th), USC (23rd), Nebraska (25th), Iowa (28th), Wisconsin (34th), Rutgers (46th), Washington (47th), Maryland (49th) and Minnesota (61st).
It is an exciting time in the Bing Ten with the four new additions and the expanded College Football Playoff. Strap in because it will be a whirlwind of a college football season.