College football personality predicts deep playoff run for James Franklin, Penn State football

Penn State football is a little over a week away from their season opener against the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown. This is a crucial year in the James Franklin coaching tenure that almost has to end in a playoff appearance. The expansion to twelve teams benefits no program more than Penn State. While making the playoffs is certainly a priority, hosting and winning some games isn’t something that most analysts are predicting. However, one major college football media personality from Barstool Sports, Brandon Walker, has the Nittany Lions making a deep run in the College Football Playoff.

Barstool Sports college football personality Brandon Walker has Penn State football making a run to the College Football Semifinals in 2024. Walker believes that the Nittany Lions will be the second-best team in the Big Ten and secure the No. 5 seed in the playoff. He then has James Franklin’s squad hosting No. 12 Memphis in Beaver Stadium this December.

Walker then believes that Penn State football will knock off No. 4 seed Kansas State before falling to Ohio State in the semifinals. One thing that he made sure to point out was just how exciting it would be for the Nittany Lions to host a game at Beaver Stadium this upcoming December.

Make or break season for Franklin

Syndication: The Des Moines Register

It has been said over and over again, but Penn State football should be the one to benefit the most from the expanded playoff. The Nittany Lions would have received the most bids if the expanded playoff had been around during the four-team era. That is why the pressure is on James Franklin to not only make the playoffs, but also deliver a big win in the process.

The narrative has already been set that Franklin and Penn State can’t win a big game and will always be 10-2. While that record will most likely get the Nittany Lions into the playoffs, it needs to be more in 2024 for many fans. An 11-1 record with a loss to Ohio State, like Barstool Sports personality Brandon Walker is predicting, would be a step in the right direction. That would require wins at West Virginia, No. 23 USC, and Wisconsin.

While it is still too early to tell whether those teams will be ranked, it would be a positive to not lose to teams that are considered beneath Penn State in talent. Avoiding the 2019 Minnesota or 2021 Iowa loss will be crucial for momentum into the playoff. The Buckeyes are also making the trip to Happy Valley this year as well. If James Franklin can pull off that upset, the expectations for the 2024 season will shift dramatically, with a national championship possibly in reach.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation! Please follow us on all of our social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube) and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media.