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Penn State Football: Toughest Game? Ranking The Nittany Lions’ Schedule

Penn State opens its 2021 season in just a few short weeks and with it will come challenges on the road and within the friendly confines of Beaver Stadium. As the year unfolds so too will the obstacles and hurdles that this Nittany Lion team will need to face. Some of them are easier to see coming than others, and more than a few will take everyone by surprise.

But with all things being equal here’s a best-guess at the toughest games on Penn State’s schedule as the Nittany Lions continue fall camp ahead of a meeting with Wisconsin in Madison just over two weeks away.

  1. at Ohio State

This Ohio State team probably has more questions than usual, but it’s Ohio State and it’s in Columbus. That says just about that needs to be said. The good news for Penn State: this game comes at the very end of October which means – in theory – the Nittany Lions could have things figured out in Mike Yurcich’s offense by then. At the same time so could the Buckeyes under a new quarterback. This might not be the most intimidating version of Ohio State, but that’s entirely relative. 

  1. at Wisconsin 

Highest ranked Week 1 opponent since Penn State played Miami in 2001, it’s on the road, it’s the first game back for fans and it’s an unfamiliar place for Penn State under James Franklin. Yea, Franklin has yet to lose to Wisconsin but he has yet to play in Madison. It’s not so much a question as to whether or not the Badgers are the better team, but there are so many things situationally that play into their favor in this game. The first big test can often be the hardest.

  1. at Iowa

If Iowa was at all a more consistent program night games here would be much more of a nationally recognized thing. Aside from the occasional upset everything about Iowa gets overlooked. For my money it’s the second-best night crowd in the Big Ten East and one of the most underrated venues in the country. So who cares if Iowa is good or not, this won’t be easy.

  1. Indiana

If he’s healthy and 100% from his knee injury last season Michael Penix has a chance to be the most exciting quarterback in the Big Ten this year. The Hoosier will have to meet the challenge of being very good two years in a row but Penix is the crux of that challenge. This game might be slightly too high on the list, but the Hoosiers have earned some respect so they’ll get some respect in a return trip to Beaver Stadium in front of fans hoping it doesn’t come down to the length of Penix’s arm.

  1. Michigan

Michigan has somehow managed to corner the market on not actually being bad but being so incredibly predictable that it has become boring. All told it’s hard to imagine that this Penn State team will roll past this Michigan team or the other way around, so while it’s a difficult game because it’s Michigan – not matter what dumb things take place during the Wolverines’ season, nothing about Penn State playing Michigan will come easily. With this game coming late in the middle of November these programs will *probably* have an idea of what their season has become, and with Ohio State a few weeks away for the Wolverines, always a chance to trip up Harbaugh and co before The Game.

  1. Auburn

Auburn may have lost a step as a program but it seems silly to rank a night game against an SEC school as a forgone conclusion. There’s a decent chance Penn State is 1-1 at this point of the year and the first whiteout in years with the first night crowd in years adds a lot of tension. If Penn State is 2-0 things are shaping up for a good opening month of the season with Auburn the last major hurdle in September. No matter how you slice it quarterback Bo Nix and Auburn give Penn State some challenges – time will tell how big those challenges are.

  1. Ball State

Almost a Top 25 team, sandwiched between Wisconsin and Auburn, the MAC favorites are not going to come into this game shy. Receiver Justin Hall is one of the best in the nation and Ball State won’t be walking into Beaver Stadium simply looking for a paycheck. This game might come down to the talent gap, but that didn’t stop Appalachian State a few years ago from giving the Nittany Lions a run for their money.

  1. Rutgers

On the one hand it’s Rutgers, on the other hand Rutgers might not be bad this year. But then again it’s Rutgers so “might be better” has come down to things like “getting blown out not quite as badly.”

  1. at Michigan State

The fact I know nothing particularly interesting about this Michigan State team probably says something about either me or Michigan State. Nothing is easy in East Lansing, but Mel Tucker hasn’t put the fear of God into people the same way Mark Dantiono did at home.

  1. at Maryland

This game probably should be higher by merits of the Terps beating Penn State last year but ever since the entire school turned Penn State’s last trip to College Park into a holiday only to get blown out in about 10 minutes takes the serious level down a notch. If Penn State loses at Maryland in November it’s either not a very good team or the Terps are better than expected. Both seem possible but one seems more likely. Can quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa take the next step? Time will tell.

  1. Illinois

Bret Bielema can coach, but Illinois currently wins the award for “school I am aware is in the Big Ten but frequently forget about.” This game also comes after a Penn State off week.

  1. Villanova

Philly kids coming in to upset the big fancy state school is a mantle only Temple can wear unless Jay Wright has gotten bored with basketball.