This weekend, Penn State football fans will undoubtedly wrap themselves in Nittany Lion garb, grab their favorite salsa and beverage and get ready for the team’s big game against Wisconsin.
A win for the No. 7 Nittany Lions (10-2) over No. 6 Wisconsin (10-2) Saturday in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis will push Penn State fans to their cheering limits and beyond – in the two years of the College Football Playoff, the selection committee has chosen the Big Ten champion both times. Better yet, the four-team field has so far only been made up of conference champions.
While Big Ten rivals No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Michigan may have better resumes, Nittany Lion fans will be sure to remind others of their 24-21 win over the Buckeyes Oct. 22 in Happy Valley.
Let’s assume James Franklin’s squad takes down the Badgers.
With an outright conference title, a signature win over Ohio State in October and a nine-game winning streak has to mean the Nittany Lions are locks for a top-four ranking. Quick, check and see if tickets for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl come with complimentary waffle fries.
They’ve got to be in, right?
Well, when you, Mr. and Mrs. Penn State fan, go to the store for your Tostitos to celebrate a possible trip to the Fiesta Bowl (Actually, the chip-makers dropped their sponsorship. PlayStation now owns those rights.), make sure to pick up some antacid, too, for the heartburn you’ll be feeling when the selection committee undoubtedly overlooks the Nittany Lions.
If it’s a feeling of déjà vu all over again, it’s because it is.
No team has been passed over more times for the chance to play for a national title than Penn State.
Sure, the Buffalo Bills lost four Super Bowls, but at least they got to the Big Game. This year, Penn State likely won’t even get that opportunity – which is a shame because of the way the Nittany Lions have finished the regular season strong, including a pounding over Michigan State in the finale.
The 2016 letdown will join various years when the Nittany Lions were on the brink of the national title game and not given the chance to compete, like the undefeated years of 1968, 1973, 1994 and 1969, the year President Richard Nixon crowned the Texas-Arkansas winner as college football’s champion.
Penn State’s best bet at the top four might be to have No. 8 Colorado (10-2) squeak by No. 4 Washington (11-0) in tonight’s Pac-12 title game, then have No. 3 Clemson (11-1) lose to Virginia Tech in the ACC final. Michigan does own a non-conference win over Colorado, while one of Penn State’s losses came to Pitt, which beat Clemson, and…
Well, there are endless possibilities. Alabama is a lock from the top spot, even with a loss in the SEC title game. From there, Ohio State, Clemson, Washington, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Colorado and Oklahoma are all vying for three slots.
Having a historically proud Penn State in the top four would be good for college football – and I’m not even talking about the huge ratings and following they’ll bring.
It would also be a chance to move out from under the Sandusky-allegation cloud that has covered State College since 2011.
But will they have the chance? Sorry, Nittany Lion fans, but I don’t see it happening.
This article was updated to remove 1986 from the years Penn State was snubbed from the national championship game after undefeated seasons. Penn State won the title that year.
