College football conference championship week predictions | Before The Snap
Before The Snap delivers straight-up picks for conference title games in the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, Mountain West and AAC
A home playoff game has become a consolation prize of sorts for Penn State football.
The Nittany Lions‘ surprising inclusion in Saturday night’s Big Ten Championship Game against Oregon has opened the door for them to not just win a league title but also gain one of the top two seeds in the upcoming College Football Playoff.
A victory in Indianapolis against the No. 1 Ducks would reward the Lions with a first-round bye in the expanded playoff. That would allow the Lions to open their CFP run in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
But if the underdog Lions lose to Oregon in Lucas Oil Stadium?
Then the Lions will learn their playoff foe during Sunday’s annual selection show on ESPN: A first-round game in Beaver Stadium on the weekend before Christmas. The only questions would be: Which seed the Lions get − No. 5, No. 6 or No. 7 − and which opponent they would play in State College on Dec. 20 or Dec. 21?
A victory in that game would expectedly send PSU to the quarterfinal round in the Peach or Sugar bowls.
Penn State football playoff opponent: If it beats Oregon
Beating Oregon would earn the Lions the CFP’s No. 1 or No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
They would go straight to the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. As the top seed, they would play the winner of the opening No. 8 vs. No. 9 game − Ohio State vs. Tennessee, as it appears now. Neither team plays this weekend, which bodes well for their seedings to hold.
That game would be in Columbus, Ohio.
Penn State football playoff opponent: If it loses to Oregon
Losing to Oregon would force the Lions into a first-round game on Dec. 20 or 21. They would either hold onto their current No. 5 seed or drop below idle Notre Dame into the No. 6 or No. 7 spots.
Either way, the Lions expect to host that opening game in Beaver Stadium.
The fifth seed would provide a match-up against the No. 12 team, possibilities including Alabama, Arizona State or Iowa State. A sixth or even seventh seed would bring similar options along with Boise State, SMU or Clemson and the Big Ten Indiana Hoosiers.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
