Midweek Thoughts – Expectations Met

Entering the 2024 football season, the Penn State Nittany Lions had never reached the College Football Playoff. Before this year, it was a four-team affair, and the Lions were on the outside looking in multiple times.

The closest they came was in 2016, when they won the Big Ten and finished No. 5 in the rankings, one spot behind. They had also flirted with it several times, but always ended up just outside the top four.

With the 2024 season came two big changes: the expansion of the playoffs to 12 teams and the elimination of divisions in the Big Ten with the addition of the four former Pac-12 teams.

Suddenly, Penn State had as advantageous a path to the playoffs as it had since the inception of the CFP.

A “big” test is scheduled for Ohio State, not Michigan, not Oregon. Testing in West Virginia, USC, Wisconsin and Minnesota seemed tough but doable.

And so it went.

The Lions finished the regular season 11-1 and although they encountered a few hurdles along the way, they were ultimately able to overcome them all.

That alone would have met or possibly exceeded regular season expectations, as the Lions had never finished with fewer than two losses under James Franklin.

But somehow the Lions qualified for the Big Ten Championship Game thanks to a huge upset against Ohio State against Michigan.

And so another expectation was fulfilled: the fight for the B1G title.

Now the Lions didn’t win that game, but it ultimately didn’t have much of an impact on another big expectation for this year: making the College Football Playoff. And even though there was no bye in the first round, the loss might have been even better for the Lions. Because their path to the semifinals was undeniably a fluke: They faced ACC runner-up SMU at home and then faced Mountain West champion Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

In fact, the path was so fortuitous that expectations were adjusted for the playoffs.

It ranged from simply getting into the playoffs to winning at least the first round game to having to win both first round games And The quarterfinal games of Penn State’s trip to the playoffs are considered a success this year.

And so it went.

The Lions defeated SMU 38-10 in the freezing cold of central Pennsylvania. The Lions defeated Boise State 31-14 in the Fiesta Bowl.

And now they face the semifinals and the Orange Bowl, waiting for their opponent.

For me, all expectations for this season have already been fulfilled:

• 11-1 regular season
• Appeared in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game
• Playoff spot
• Home playoff game – and win
• Quarterfinals – and victory
• Semifinal appearance

From now on, Penn State will play with house money. Regardless of the opponent, the Lions at least did what people asked of them, and in many ways did even more as the goalposts changed throughout the season.

All I ask of the Lions at this point is to play loose. You have house money on your mind. Use your skills, do your best and have fun. Are they better than Georgia or Notre Dame?

Who knows. We’ll find out next week.

But I see no reason why they should duck either opponent. They have met or exceeded all expectations so far.

Why not again?