PSU 2025 strength of schedule ranked #29
- Thread starter Obliviax
- Start date
Despite this ranking, I still believe that it's a rather manageable schedule, especially with all of the experience that the offense is bringing back. You never know if a team is going to be a complete surprise like IU last year, but I believe that the two key games other than the obvious two will be Iowa and Nebraska. Rutgers also could be an interesting last game of the season.
I think you might have read that wrong. The #3 rank is Penn State’s own ranking. The SOS column is to the right and PSU’s is #29. Arkansas is #3 according to the author.
I know that OSU basically has an assembly line to replace its starters. However, considering that they will have a starting qb with basically no experience and also have to replace so many starters, is there any chance that they will have a drop off like Michigan had last season, even if it isn't as extreme?
Short answer, no. Even if they had say three losses (which I highly doubt) you can be sure as the sun rises in the east that they will beat us in Columbus. That new quarterback may struggle throughout the season but will play like Mahomes against us.
I won't dispute this. However, I do believe that if our o-line stays healthy, it should have the potential to dominate the line of scimmage against almost any team that it plays, but I acknowledge that the passing game must improve greatly and our qb needs to play like a three-year starter probably to win that game; I say this even though Michigan went in there last season and beat them with their qb barely being able to complete a pass.
Records aside I think some sort of drop-off from last years team (at least how they looked in the playoff) is inevitable. They could still easily run the table. I'd bet on them going undefeated vs dropping 3 games if I had to bet one or the other.
Their 3 toughest games are Texas, Us, Michigan and it'd be a major upset for them to drop a game outside of those 3. Maybe you can argue Illinois or Washington can spring an upset on the road
Texas is also breaking in a a first year starting QB but has to play at Columbus in week 1.
They get us at home. They're coming off a bye. New starting QB will have 7 games under his belt by then including the big game experience against the Longhorns. There's also the dark cloud that hangs over our team against OSU that can't be discounted until we finally beat them.
Michigan is on the road and OSU's dark cloud regarding Michigan is a factor until its not, but they should be a much better team that the Wolverines.
We don't need a passing game to win, although it would certainly help. The team has the tools to beat them like Michigan has, not saying we will.
Michigan's QB stat lines during their win streak over OSU:
2021- 13/19 159 yards 0 td 1 int.
2022- 12/24 263 yards 3 td 0 int. 179 of those passing yards came on 3 plays.
2023- 16/20 148 yards 1 td 0 int.
2024- 9/16 62 yards 0 td 2 int.
Maybe the Matt Patricia hire is a disaster and Hartline sucks at calling plays though. Both would probably need to be true for them to look like 2024 Michigan.
We have a shot, of course. But Allar has not been big in big games and as you say we have no WRs that could challenge them. Franklin will try to run it down their throat and that won't be enough. As for Michigan beating them, well it is like us not being mentally ready to beat OSU. Michigan is in OSU's head at this point.
As we saw last year, these numbers can change dramatically.
Will Oregon's latest rent-a-QB perform at a high level? What will Indiana look like? I believe tOSU will have either a RS or true Freshman QB. Will PSU find a decent WR? There is no Tyler Warren this year to compensate.
It's mind boggling that Michigan beat them at OSU last season with only 9 pass completions for 62 yards and 2 INTs; Michigan clearly is in the OSU's coaches' heads when that happens.
It also will be interesting to see how Manning performs at OSU when he's THE man and not just a third down runner. I can't believe how much hype this kid is getting for somebody who has proven nothing yet other than he can run for a first down and third and short.
Not really, Michigan would have beat most of the top ten that weekend. They reminded me of 08 Iowa. Had we played Iowa home or away a few weeks earlier, we win going away. However, we played them late. Iowa would have throttled either participant in the faux national title game, as would have us, USC, OSU and Utah.
The regular season is no longer meaningful. We just played the weakest schedule since before joining the Big Ten by a decent margin and got in. It is only a matter of time until a team with four losses gets in and goes on a tear.
The SEC and Big Ten should make up most of the list and do. The SEC seems to have "more" perceived hood teams which makes sense as to why they're first.
So is half of the Big Ten but they're still infinitely better than the othe conferences which drives the ratings. Of the Big Ten keeps outperforming the SEC the narrative changes.
We have one month left to fix the problem. It's the exact same problem from last year and the year before.
So far we have not fixed the problem
So far we have not fixed the problem
Michigan's strength (best defensive line in country was matched against OSU's weakest link at time the offensive line) OSU's field goal kicker lost the game by missing 2 short field goals including about a 30 yarder in 4th quarter which would have given OSU the lead. With the lead, I don't think Michigan's awful offense could have won the game. Also, Will Howard had 2 interceptions.
Arkansas plays ND in their non-conference and play on the road against Tennessee, Texas LSU and Ole Miss
Unless you're bashing our schedule--that would make more sense.
Hell, even them playing at Memphis is way better than anything we have lined up in our pathetic, unacceptable non-conference schedule
I would have more of a problem with PSU's non-conference schedule except for the fact that Michigan's non-conference schedule in 2023 and OSU's non-conference schedule in 2024 also were pathetic and unacceptable, yet those two teams won National Championships. Unfortunately, with these mega conferences that have added more tough teams, and the limited playoff spots, it really doesn't pay that much to play a really good non-conference opponent. The loser of Texas-OSU is going to be under a lot of pressure probably to only lose one or at most two additional games or they're going to be out of the playoffs.
Nah...that loss won't hurt them. Losses to really good teams aren't going to be a problem. And, as time goes on, they're going to hurt less and less.
With the weak schedule Ohio State still managed two big time wins over playoff teams...Michigan ran the table. I don't want to be 10-2 with out best win being Indiana. I don't like our chances of hosting a playoff game in that scenario
It doesn't matter at the end of the day which is the problem.
Eliminate all 3 of these dumb scrimmages. Add a conference game and add a B10 vs SEC challenge game in Sept. Pair teams like they do or did do in the hoops version. 11 game regular season. Season ends a week earlier and everything moves up a week. Need to do something as the playoffs expand. Can't be playing all throughout January.
I think that we saw this past season that the longer the season extends into January, even when you have brands like ND, OSU, PSU and Texas, the interest drops among the general public and becomes totally overshawdowed by the NFL Playoffs.
Yes. I do not believe that OSU can duplicate this past season. Too many experienced veterans to replace, especially on defense.
Yep. Pretty much after New Year's Day the attention turns to the NFL. These 10 day gaps between games with only a few teams left means the games get lost and forgotten about except for the loyal fans of each school.
Kinda was bashing. But the original post said #3 and was reacting to that. OP made a mistake and changed it to #29
Because we play each other that presumes that one of us will only lose to the other and the team that wins the head to head will lose to someone else. If you assume an annual loss to tOSU then we run the table and finish 11-1. That would likely put us in the CCG and likely a top five playoff seed. I’d take that outcome.
