Penn State’s playoff buzz continues to grow.
After a commanding 3-0 start, along with some subpar results from others in the playoff picture, the Nittany Lions are being projected to make the College Football Playoff by multiple media personalities.
CBS Sports’ Bud Elliot’s first bracket of the season, released on Sunday, featured Penn State as the No. 10 seed, traveling to face No. 7-seed Alabama in Tuscaloosa for a chance to see No. 2 Texas in the quarterfinal round.
Additionally, On3’s Andy Staples penciled in the Nittany Lions as the No. 10 seed, set to travel to Big Ten foe Ohio State in the opening round, with No. 2 Ole Miss awaiting the winner. Staples previously left Penn State out of his projections.
Advanced analytics match that sentiment, as ESPN’s FPI now gives the Nittany Lions a 38.5% chance to reach the 12-team field, up from a 22% chance to begin the year. Conference play doesn’t begin until Saturday’s contest against Wisconsin at Beaver Stadium, but Penn State has looked the part through three low-difficulty nonconference matchups,
Others like Michigan, USC, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas A&M have stumbled out of the gate, taking on losses and/or struggling against perceived inferior competition, opening the door for the Nittany Lions to make a playoff push if they can take care of business against an easy conference draw this season.
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