Pate: Penn State football is perfectly set up for a playoff berth in 2024

Every season success is measured based on your win-loss record against Ohio State and Michigan and whether or not you made the College Football Playoff. At least that’s how James Franklin is evaluated in the eyes of the national media. While Penn State football has defeated Ohio State once since 2016 and has a current three-game losing streak against Michigan, they’re able to handle their business against the other Big Ten schools. Now, heading into the 2024 season, Josh Pate thinks that the Nittany Lions are set up perfectly for a playoff berth.

Josh Pate believes Penn State football is set up for a playoff berth in 2024

The closest Penn State football has been to reaching the College Football Playoff was in 2016. The year the Nittany Lions defeated Ohio State and won the Big Ten Championship over Wisconsin. However, the committee put Ohio State in over Penn State where the Buckeyes lost 31-0 to Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

Penn State has regularly finished in the top 10 of the final college football rankings. But they have not been able to win the biggest games when it matters. In 2024, that might not be the stopping point for the Nittany Lions. In fact, CBS Sports Analyst, Josh Pate has an interesting theory on how James Franklin and his team are set up for success this fall.

“Penn State has -142 odds on Fanduel to make the playoff,” Pate said on his show Late Kick with Josh Pate.  “And I don’t think anything needs to change. Some of these other programs, even considering the lowering of the bar, because we got more playoff spots you could say Kansas State, they still need to maybe elevate slightly as a program to just be in this thing every year.

“Penn State doesn’t. Penn State is there, they could not change a thing. They could just copy-paste, as they have been and they’re good enough for a 12-team playoff…”