Penn State football facing one of most critical 3-game stretches in program history

Penn State’s real season starts now.

The No. 2 Nittany Lions face a three-game stretch — vs. No. 19 Michigan, at No. 6 Ohio State and at No. 18 Michigan State — that’s arguably one of the most important in program history. It’s easily the toughest, most critical one James Franklin’s stared down in his Penn State tenure, with high stakes for the Nittany Lions’ individual and team success.

Saquon Barkley could win or lose the Heisman Trophy in this three-game stretch.

Penn State’s national championship hopes survive or die in this three-game stretch.

When Franklin’s legacy in Happy Valley is one day discussed, fans will either fondly or unhappily remember this three-game span.

The Nittany Lions take it one game at a time, one week at a time. But the road ahead is filled with implications. And it starts Saturday against Michigan.

Of course, what Penn State already went through isn’t thrown out the window. It shouldn’t be discounted. In the words of House Martell for those Game of Thrones fans out there, Penn State was “unbowed, unbent and unbroken” through the first half of its season.

Road trip to Kinnick Stadium? The Nittany Lions overcame Iowa at the buzzer.

Rivalry rematch after a heartbreaking loss last season? Penn State handled Pitt with ease.

Trap game at Northwestern? Nope.

It’s been an impressive run already. By not tripping up — by riding a somewhat surprisingly dominant defense, Trace McSorley’s still-underrated arm and Barkley’s mind-bending ability — the Nittany Lions are unbeaten and unblemished.

But to a degree, we all expected this. The Nittany Lions, a sure-fire top-10 team in the preseason, were supposed to be undefeated at this point in the season.

Now comes the tough part.

Penn State is the second-ranked team in the country. It’s the first time since 1999 the program has reached that point. And in 1999, the Nittany Lions had a disappointing finish. After a 9-0 start, Penn State fell consecutively to Minnesota, No. 16 Michigan and No. 15 Michigan State.

This 2017 squad isn’t the 1999 team. Everything from system, players and coaches are different. The lone reason to point that three-game losing streak out is that it can happen.

It’s unlike that it will, but at the very least, the Nittany Lions’ mettle will be tested in the coming weeks.

On Saturday, the Nittany Lions play host to Michigan — a program that Franklin has yet to conquer in his time at the helm. Michigan’s 49-10 win kept Penn State from the College Football Playoff last season, and the No. 18-ranked Wolverines could play spoiler again in 2017. Penn State opened as a double-digit favorite and really should beat the Wolverines, who needed overtime to dissemble Indiana over the weekend. The Nittany Lions will have a White Out crowd behind them, and College GameDay will be in town, elevating the importance of a matchup that fans and media alike have looked forward to since the Big Ten slate was released.

All things considered, this is a monumental weekend for those in Happy Valley.

Imagine what another special, signature performance would do for Barkley’s run at the Heisman. If he hangs 200 all-purpose yards and a few scores on Michigan’s stout defense (14.7 points per game, 8th nationally), Barkley is a lock for the December ceremony in New York City. After a frustrating outing at Northwestern, a fine showing on Saturday would set Barkley up to do the same at Ohio State and Michigan State. Barkley could very well lose the Heisman if all three defenses successfully game plan around him — but if the wunderkind defies logic and (probably) gravity to overcome all that, you’ll be looking at Penn State’s first Heisman winner since John Cappelletti.

Imagine what a win against Michigan would do for Franklin’s reputation. It’s already sky high with a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl trip under his belt. Beating Jim Harbaugh will only add to that.

And imagine what a convincing victory would do for the Nittany Lions. For the first time on the field in 2017, it would establish itself as a top dog — a true national championship contender. The Wolverines are better than Iowa, Northwestern or any other team the Nittany Lions have faced so far this season. A win would give further credence to Penn State’s No. 2 ranking and set it off on the right foot during this stretch, heading into a highly-anticipated matchup with the Buckeyes then at Sparty.

If Penn State follows the path of the 1999 squad, it’ll disappoint hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe.

If the Nittany Lions win two of three, they’re still in the thick of it.

But if they take all three — if Franklin’s bunch beats Michigan at home and takes care of Ohio State and Michigan State on the road — only Rutgers, Nebraska and Maryland (combined record 8-11) stand between Penn State and a berth in the College Football Playoff.

This three-game stretch is a defining one.

Penn State is the No. 2 ranked team in the country for a reason. Barkley, McSorley, Franklin, and the rest of the players and coaching staff are ready for this. They’ve worked to get to this point — and even more for what lies beyond it.

Everything is on the line.

This story was originally published October 16, 2017 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Penn State football facing one of most critical 3-game stretches in program history."