Your Team Can Win a National Championship: Penn State Edition

You would be hard pressed to find a program that the 12 team playoff benefits more than Penn State. Teetering in between solid consistent program and elite status, Penn State has routinely been a top 15 ranked team by the end of the season. It’s hard to talk about Penn State’s consistency as a top 15 program, without talking about their consistent downfall in big games. 13- 27 against all ranked opponents and 1-18 against top 5 ranked teams. You would have to expect for Penn State to win a national title they will need to beat a top 5 opponent, so let’s see how they’re going to break that slump.

Penn State can win a national title because Abdul Carter and the Defense. Abdul Carter demands the spotlight on Penn State’s defense, the unanimous All-American accounted for 10 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles. He terrorizes opposing quarterbacks, and lucky for them, he now has extra motivation after being snubbed for the Nagurski award. To add to Carter’s dominance, Penn State also transferred in 2 starting corners, A.J. Harris and Jalen Kimber, and the gamble paid off. Harris and Kimber anchor a secondary and defense that accounted 12 interceptions, 6 forced fumbles, and 33 sacks. Penn State’s defensive numbers don’t jump off the page, but with the star power of Carter, and his ability to be an absolute game wrecker the Nittany Lions Defense will keep Offensive Coordinators up at night.

Penn State can win a national title because of Tyler Warren. Tyler Warren is an absolute stud at the… well he doesn’t have a position really. He is listed as a Tight End, but he’s also played quarterback, center, running back, lined up all over on the outside, and I’m sure he’d play Defensive End if you let him. Warren’s versatility wouldn’t have been highlighted if it wasn’t for off-season hiring of OC Andy Kotelnicki, Kotelnicki came over from Kansas with the goal to improve a somewhat stagnant 2023 Penn State offense. Kotelnicki has used his creativity to get the Maxey Winner, Warren the ball in several ways, ensuring that his best player not getting opportunities won’t be the reason they lose.

Penn State can win a national title because of their path. That’s been the point of controversy for the playoff so far, the Nittany Lions have benefitted from the way the bracket was laid out. PSU will face SMU, the lowest ranked at-large team in the CFP, if they win, they will play Boise State, the lone G5 team, and then they would draw another lower ranked team or Georgia who will be without their starting quarterback. PSU could not play a higher ranked team with their starting QB until the championship game. That would bode well for James Franklin and his team and hopefully they can improve on their 1-18 record vs top-5 opponents.

Penn State CAN’T win a national title because they lack play makers in their receiver room, aren’t exceptionally great at offense or defense, and James Franklin hasn’t proven that he can win big games. Their first top 5 matchup against Ohio State the Buckeyes kept Penn State’s offense out of the endzone and dominated their defense in the run game. Their second matchup against Oregon, Gabriel and his receivers had a field day against Penn State’s defense and scored whenever they wanted to. Penn State’s offense finished with some fairly good numbers, but it wasn’t until Oregon had control on the game. Franklin and his team are poised to make a run to the semi finals, but that will be due to the level of competition they are playing. When they meet up with the Big Guns of College Football, if history is any precursor to future events, Penn State will fall short and the narrative will continue.