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Penn State football projected to travel to SEC power in new CFP bracket

Now that we know where Penn State football stands in the preseason AP poll, the Nittany Lions would face an imposing first-round matchup based on new College Football Playoff projections

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Oct 28, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) is congratulated by quarterback Drew Allar (15) after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State football is one of the teams that is looking forward to the expanded College Football Playoff. With 12 teams slated to make the dance this December, the Nittany Lions should be one of those teams. To start the season, Penn State will begin in the top 10 of the preseason AP Poll that was released on Monday. Based on that model, they are projected to travel to Alabama in the first round of the CFP.

Penn State is slated to travel to Tuscaloosa to face the new-look Alabama Crimson Tide. That is if the 2024 preseason AP Poll holds true based on the new College Football Playoff model. On Monday, the preseason AP Poll slated Penn State football will start at No. 8 overall.

From the first iteration of the AP Poll, On3 released a 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. Within the bracket the highest-ranked power four teams include Georgia, Ohio State, Florida State, and Utah. All four of those teams would receive first-round byes in the new playoff model.

Then, in the first round, the highest seed would host a home playoff game. On3 had No. 8 seed Ole Miss hosting No. 9 seed Notre Dame. No. 5 seed Oregon to host No. 12 seed and the lone group of five team Boise State. No. 6 seed Texas to host No. 11 seed Michigan, and No. 5 Alabama to host No.10 seed Penn State.

Penn State football OC believes Beau Pribula has elite traits

Penn State football, Beau Pribula, Andy Kotelnicki,

Credit: Grace Carella // Basic Blues Nation, 2024.

One of the core pieces and one of the most underrated weapons on the Penn State football offense this fall is backup quarterback Beau Pribula. If the Nittany Lions wish to make the postseason, they will need Pribula to be effective when he is inserted into any games.

Recently, Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki explained how he views Pribula as an athlete.

“So, Beau [Pribula] obviously has some elite athleticism, and you have to tap into that. I get questions all the time, how do you utilize players? Well, when you have an elite athlete, you have him do athletic things.”



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Former Editor-In-Chief at Victory Bell Rings, Morgan is the current Site Manager for Basic Blues Nation, host of the Basic Blues Podcast, and co-host of the weekly Penn State Roar Room spaces. Morgan lives in upstate New York with his wife and cats.

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