Penn State football roundtable: What will the Nittany Lions’ record be this season?

The Penn State football season is — finally — nearly here.

With just a few days to go until opening kickoff vs. Indiana on Saturday, here’s the Centre Daily Times’ staff predictions for the Nittany Lions’ record when the Big Ten-only slate comes to a close in December.

Josh Moyer: 7-2

Let’s start off with the obvious: With so many variables and unknowns, this is the hardest season to predict maybe in my lifetime. Has Sean Clifford taken another step forward? Well, we haven’t seen him throw the ball in-person this offseason. Can the receivers fill the shoes of KJ Hamler? Well, true freshman Parker Washington is slated to start Saturday ... and we haven’t seen him either. The list goes on.

So I’m going off what I do know here. And what I do know is that this offensive line should be better, and Kirk Ciarrocca should be an upgrade at offensive coordinator. There’s still plenty of talent along the defensive front-seven, and the secondary can’t possibly allow more yards through the air than last season.

James Franklin has won double-digit games in three of the last four season here so, even without RB Journey Brown, it seems like a losing proposition to underestimate these Nittany Lions. Micah Parsons’ departure will be felt so, while this team likely won’t reach “elite” status in 2020, I still suspect it will be in the College Football Playoff discussion late in the season. I just don’t expect it’ll get there.

Bret Pallotto: 8-1

My morals won’t allow me to jump right into predictions for this season without first acknowledging what a fiasco 2019 was.

I predicted the Nittany Lions would go 7-5; they went 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl. I might have to retire from prognosticating if I’m that far off again.

OK, that felt good to get off my chest. Let’s turn the page to 2020.

I’ll go with 7-1 in the regular season, with the lone loss coming to Ohio State. Tack on another win during the Big Ten championship week and that comes to 8-1.

I can understand why some would pick against the Nittany Lions when they host Iowa or visit Michigan, but I’ll give coach James Franklin and his team the benefit of the doubt.

So, 8-1. Final answer.

Jon Sauber: 8-1

Penn State has a legitimate chance to make the College Football Playoff this season — even with a loss. The offense should be more productive this season under offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, and that should take some of the burden away from a defense that will be without star linebacker Micah Parsons. Ciarrocca leaned on the running game in Minnesota and has the talent to do the same in State College. Without Journey Brown, the running back room still has enough depth and talent to stay fresh and grind down opposing defenses, while still hitting on big plays to break games open and demoralize the opposition.

Defensive coordinator Brent Pry should once again have one of the best defenses in the country and can win games on its own — even without Parsons. It boasts a dynamic pass rush with breakout candidates Jayson Oweh and Adisa Isaac joining Shaka Toney on the edges. Their ability to get pressure will make life difficult for any opposing quarterback.

While the Nittany Lions should be among college football’s elite defensively and improved offensively, they still face the same roadblock they do every season — Ohio State. Their Week 2 matchup with the Buckeyes should be their only loss of the season and allow them to enter Big Ten Championship week with a six-game winning streak and a matchup against a team like Minnesota. If they can go into the CFP’s final rankings release with an 8-1 record, their resume should match up well with almost any team in the country. That should open the door for the first playoff berth for the Nittany Lions since the CFP began in 2014.

Parth Upadhyaya: 7-2

This is one of the most talented Penn State teams that head coach James Franklin has had in his seven-year tenure, sure. But the losses of star linebacker Micah Parsons and standout running back Journey Brown certainly hurts — especially so in a pandemic-stricken season where depth could be key down the stretch. Not having the traditional Beaver Stadium home-field advantage the Nittany Lions are accustomed to doesn’t help either in games that could go either way, like Ohio State in Week 2.

First-year offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca should help redshirt junior quarterback Sean Clifford and the Penn State offense take the next step. And defensive coordinator Brent Pry’s group should be again one of the most formidable in the nation. Even with that being said, it’s likely that will not be enough this season for Penn State to get over the hump as a program and vault itself into a College Football Playoff spot.

It’s no easy task for a team to play its toughest opponent in Week 2, and Ciarrocca will likely need more time to get the offense clicking before it can do damage against the Buckeyes. A loss to Ohio State, plus a defeat at the hands of whichever Big Ten West foe the Nittany Lions match up with in Week 9, will be the difference between a really good and great season.