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Can Penn State still make CFP? What’s next after Ohio State loss

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3 weeks ago

November 4, 2024

Can Penn State still make CFP? What's next after Ohio State loss

Penn State was handed what has change into an agonizingly acquainted setback Saturday, the sort of defeat that might probably harm extra if it didn’t occur at such an alarming price.

Of their largest sport of the season, the Nittany Lions fell at house to Ohio State 20-13 in a matchup of top-five groups enjoying in entrance of a record-setting crowd of 111,030 at Beaver Stadium in State Faculty, Pennsylvania.

The loss was Penn State’s eighth in a row to the Buckeyes and dropped coach James Franklin’s file in opposition to Ohio State to 1-10 since he took over as this system’s coach forward of the 2014 season.

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A lot of these eight consecutive losses got here in video games that ended up shaping the Large Ten and nationwide title races, propelling the Buckeyes to convention championships and Faculty Soccer Playoff appearances whereas stopping the Nittany Lions from reaching these objectives.

What impression may No. 3 Penn State’s newest disappointment in opposition to No. 4 Ohio State have?

Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to know concerning the Nittany Lions’ playoff probabilities:

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Can Penn State soccer make the Faculty Soccer Playoff?

As gutting as Saturday’s loss might have felt for Penn State and its followers, the Nittany Lions very a lot stay within the hunt for a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff.

The defeat was Penn State’s first of the season, making its file 7-1 with 4 video games remaining within the common season.

Whereas losses in current seasons to Ohio State made the Nittany Lions’ street to a four-team playoff rather more troublesome — if there even was a street in any respect — the expanded 12-team playoff options seven at-large berths for the highest-ranked groups that fail to win their convention championship. Had the 12-team format existed, Penn State would have made the playoff six instances based mostly on the ultimate rankings of the playoff committee (and based mostly on the factors of who makes the 12-team playoff.) In every of these seasons, the Nittany Lions had not less than one loss.

It is unclear how far they’ll fall following the loss to Ohio State. As 5 p.m. ET Saturday, not one of the groups ranked behind Penn State within the US LBM Coaches Ballot had misplaced, although a number of of these squads have two losses, which might make it appear unlikely that they’d leap the Nittany Lions.

Franklin and his staff will get a good suggestion quickly of the place they sit. The primary playoff committee rankings of the 2024 season can be launched Tuesday night time.

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Can Penn State earn first-round CFP bye?

Although the Nittany Lions’ playoff hopes stay intact, no matter aspirations it needed to earn a first-round bye are actually in a extra precarious place.

The best 4 seeds within the playoff keep away from having to play a first-round sport and advance on to the quarterfinals. These 4 spots, nonetheless, are reserved for the 4 highest-rated convention champions, which, in most years, will come from the Energy 4 conferences: the Large Ten, SEC, ACC and Large 12.

Penn State’s street to the Large Ten championship sport in Indianapolis is a bit difficult following the loss to the Buckeyes.

With the additions of USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, the Large Ten scrapped its two-division mannequin and as an alternative provides spots within the convention championship sport to the best two finishers within the 18-team league. At 4-1, the Nittany Lions are considered one of 4 groups within the Large Ten standings with fewer than two losses in convention play, a gaggle that additionally consists of 5-0 Oregon, 5-0 Indiana and 4-1 Ohio State.

Ohio State and Indiana play on Nov. 23 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, that means a kind of groups can have not less than yet one more loss by the tip of the season. Past that, although, Oregon has a navigable remaining schedule, with no video games in opposition to top-25 opponents.

Ought to Penn State discover itself in a tie within the standings, listed below are the tiebreaker steps the Large Ten established heading into this season, so as:

The tied groups can be in contrast based mostly on head-to-head matchups through the common season.
The tied groups can be in contrast based mostly on file in opposition to all widespread convention opponents.
The tied groups can be in contrast based mostly on file in opposition to widespread opponents with the very best convention file and continuing by means of the widespread convention opponents based mostly on their order of end throughout the convention standings.
The tied groups can be in contrast based mostly on the very best cumulative convention successful proportion of all convention opponents.
The consultant can be chosen based mostly on the best rating by SportSource Analytics (staff Ranking Rating metric) following the common season.
The consultant can be chosen by random draw among the many tied groups carried out by the Commissioner or designee.

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Penn State soccer schedule 2024

A lot of the optimistic case for Penn State making the playoff facilities round its remaining schedule.

Following the loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions haven’t any video games remaining in opposition to groups within the prime 25 of the Coaches Ballot. In actual fact, that solely tells a lot of the story. Coming into Saturday, solely considered one of Penn State’s ultimate 4 opponents — Minnesota, at 5-3 — had a successful file.

Ought to the Nittany Lions handle enterprise and win video games during which they’ll virtually actually be favored, they’ll end the common season 11-1 and be in sturdy place to be chosen for the playoff.

Right here’s a have a look at Penn State’s 2024 schedule and what looms forward: