Penn State football schedule: Ranking the Nittany Lions' 2022 opponents

Penn State hasn't won 10 games since 2019 and hasn't been ranked for two seasons, but that didn't stop head coach James Franklin from getting a $75 million contract.

With all that money comes a mandate to get the Nittany Lions back at the top of the Big Ten East standings and in the mix for a College Football Playoff bid.

Standing in Penn State's way are the usual suspects — Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State — in what figures to be another challenging schedule full of important games.

What can the Nittany Lions expect this season? Let's look at PSU's upcoming games in 2022, ranked easiest to hardest.

Penn State football schedule: Ranking the Nittany Lions' 2022 opponents

12. Ohio

When: Sept. 10

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: Penn State comes home from the season opener at Purdue to face what should be a early-season walkover against a Bobcat team that won three games last season. OU struggled defensively a year ago, and there hasn't been enough improvement by a long shot to make this matchup competitive.

11. Central Michigan

When: Sept. 24

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: Penn State wraps up its non-conference schedule with a date against a Chippewas team that's been a MAC contender since Jim McElwain came over as head coach. CMU won nine games last season and beat Washington State in the Sun Bowl, but shouldn't pose too great a threat against the Nittany Lions at home.

10. Indiana

When: Nov. 5

Where: Bloomington

What to expect: IU was good for just 17 points per game last fall and will lose wide receiver Ty Fryfogle. But it gains Missouri transfer quarterback Conner Bazelak, a 2,500-yard passer, something for first-year coordinator Walt Bell to work with. Indiana was a two-win team last fall, and should provide Penn State some breathing room after its three-week stretch against Michigan, Minnesota, and Ohio State.

9. Northwestern

When: Oct. 1

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: It's always tough to predict what Northwestern will be beforehand — it played for the Big Ten title in 2020 and was one of the conference's worst teams in 2021. NU lost defensive back Brandon Joseph to transfer and still has major structural issues to solve on the offensive side. Northwestern scratched together just under 17 points per game a year ago.

8. Rutgers

When: Nov. 19

Where: Piscataway

What to expect: The third-worst scoring offense in the Big Ten was good for just about 19 points each time out last fall, while giving up almost 25 per game to opponents. Noah Vedral is the likely option at quarterback, but Penn State should own the easy advantage at the line of scrimmage, where Rutgers has still failed to adequately recruit enough size and speed.

7. Maryland

When: Nov. 12

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: Mike Locksley has the Terps coming off their first winning season since 2014 and their first bowl win since 2010, despite going 0-4 against Big Ten opposition ranked in the Top 10. This was the fourth-best offense in the league a year ago, good for over 440 yards per game and scored a shade under 30 points each week. But Maryland needs better blocking up front and this defense needs work at every phase, posting the second-worst scoring mark in the conference (32.4 ppg).

6. Purdue

When: Sept. 1

Where: West Lafayette

What to expect: Star wide receiver David Bell and defensive end George Karlaftis are gone, two major contributors that propelled the Boilers to a pair of wins against Top 3 ranked teams in 2021 (Iowa, Michigan State). But quarterback Aidan O'Connell returns in the hopes Purdue can run the ball a little better — it was the only Big Ten team that failed to surpass 100 yards rushing per game (84.2).

5. Minnesota

When: Oct. 22

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: The definition of an average team last season, Minnesota brings back its one-two punch on offense with quarterback Tanner Morgan and running back Mohamed Ibrahim. But the Gophers still have some work to do patching up its offensive line to get the most from its relative skill on the perimeter and on the ground.

4. Auburn

When: Sept. 17

Where: Auburn

What to expect: No matter what shape this program is in — with its roster issues and head coach Bryan Harsin on the hot seat already one year in — this is still an SEC West team playing at home. Auburn can generate some pressure up front defensively getting after the quarterback, and has a strong run game to rely on led by Tank Bigsby. Big Ten pride is on the line, but if there's one game the conference can show off, it might be this one against a traditional Southern power that's not in a strong place right now.

3. Michigan State

When: Nov. 26

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: The fight for the Land Grant Trophy finds Sparty having to replace Kenneth Walker in the backfield, but it still has Payton Thorne returning at quarterback, and he'll have Jayden Reed, who led the team in receiving in 2021. Penn State needs to get the ball in the air early and often against a secondary that was far and away the Big Ten's worst and ranked No. 111 in college football last fall.

2. Michigan

When: Oct. 15

Where: Ann Arbor

What to expect: Unranked Penn State played the No. 6 Wolverines close in a four-point loss at home last November, but now Jim Harbaugh is dealing with major losses at running back, offensive line, and defensive end. He has enough talent to patch things over, especially at the skill positions, in addition to continuity at quarterback with Cade McNamara's return. Penn State has a bye week coming into this game, the first of a tough three week stretch that includes Minnesota and what figures to be the toughest game of the year...

1. Ohio State

When: Oct. 29

Where: Happy Valley

What to expect: Much of the core of what last season was the No. 1 offense in college football comes back — quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back TreVeyon Henderson, and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. But the Buckeyes need to do some surgery on a defense that cost them in games against Oregon and Michigan last season. Sean Clifford teased 361 passing yards out of OSU's secondary last fall.

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