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Penn State football schedule 2021: Predicting the Nittany Lions first loss

By Richard Kimball

STATE COLLEGE, PA - DECEMBER 12: Jahan Dotson #5 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns a punt for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Beaver Stadium on December 12, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - DECEMBER 12: Jahan Dotson #5 of the Penn State Nittany Lions returns a punt for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Beaver Stadium on December 12, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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The Penn State football schedule is a brutal stretch for the Nittany Lions, but where will the first loss occur for James Franklin’s team?

Despite a late start due to COVID-19, the 2020 Penn State Nittany Lions were hopeful they would finally get over the hill and make their first appearance in the College Football Playoff. But with the losses of linebacker, Micah Parsons (opt-out) and running back, Journey Brown (heart condition), their season was off to a bad start before they even played a game.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Penn State opened up on the road against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers kicked off their 2020 season with an upset win over the Nittany Lions with an overtime win that ended with a controversial end-of-game replay that resulted in the Hoosiers game-winning touchdown. But the bleeding didn’t stop there, as Penn State would have more injuries and lose their next four games, getting off to an 0-5 start, their worst in program history.

Luckily for the Nittany Lions, they ended the 2020 season winning their last four games, giving them much to build on heading into this season. And with their most challenging schedule in recent years, they can use that momentum. Helping their cause will be a sold-out Beaver Stadium with 107,000 fans after last year’s season saw greatly reduced crowds.

The Penn State football schedule is a gauntlet but can the Nittany Lions get off to a hot start?

To kick off their run at a third national championship (1982, 1986), Penn State starts off their season with a cross-conference game vs, Wisconsin, and then just two weeks after their battle with the Badgers, the Nittany Lions host the Auburn Tigers out of the SEC. The rest of the Nittany Lions’ September schedule consists of two non-conference teams with Ball State and Villanova both visiting Happy Valey.

But then Penn State heads into familiar terrain with their remaining conference schedule.

To start October, Penn State looks to get revenge as they host Indiana and then go on the road to play the Iowa Hawkeyes, who also beat the Nittany Lions in 2020. Following a bye week, Penn State plays Illinois before going on the road to due battle with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

And that’s where we stop.

The Penn State Nittany Lions get back to their usual ways and open up the season 7-0. Yes, that means they beat Wisconsin, Auburn, Indiana and Iowa. But unfortunately, the Nittany Lions’ grueling schedule catches us to them as they lose a heart-breaker to the Buckeyes.

But do not worry Nittany Nation.

The rest of the Nittany Lions schedule is favorable, and if they can go unblemished following Ohio State, they could have a legitimate shot at making the College Football Playoff as a one-loss team with an impressive resume that has several quality wins, and a quality loss.

2020 was a season Penn State would like to leave buried deep into the past and with a schedule filled with revenge and redemption, the Nittany Lions can do just that.

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