What does Penn State need to do to make the 12-team CFP field?

Penn State is sitting pretty right now. Ranked fourth in the country at 5-0, with one Top 25 win already on its schedule and a (relatively) friendly schedule the rest of the way, the Nittany Lions appear to control their own destiny on a path to the innagural 12-team College Football Playoff.

What does Penn State need to do — and what can it not afford to do — if it wants to reach the school's first-ever College Football Playoff?

Penn State needs to beat Ohio State

This is the obvious one. If Penn State beats Ohio State, it's a near sure thing they get into the College Football Playoff, even if it drops one (or two) other games.

If Penn State runs the field in the Big Ten, it won't only get into the College Football Playoff field, it will likely earn the No. 1 seed and receive a bye in the quarterfinals. Ohio State coming to town is Penn State's biggest obstacle in making this happen, but it also has five road games remaining and hasn't faced a real road test yet. Nevertheless, beating OSU, making it through the Big Ten unscathed, thus earning an automatic bid to the CFP is the easiest way to make this possible.

But what if Penn State stumbles against Ohio State or some other team? What if it stumbles against Ohio State and another team? Without relying on an automatic Big Ten champion bid, here's Penn State's easiest path to the CFP.

Penn State needs to cheer for Washington and Illinois

An uneven start for the Washington Huskies has knocked them out of the AP Top 25, but a few straight wins will have them right back in the fray of the Big Ten and potentially even CFP discussions. Penn State should be cheering for UW in every game except the one against themselves, obviously. Even with the Big Ten's depth this year, Penn State's schedule is lacking some "wow" factor, but a win against Washington could look pretty good if the Huskies enter the game on a winning streak.

With a win over Illinois already behind it, Penn State fans should turn into honorary Illini fans. Illinois is currently ranked 23rd and has a gauntlet ahead of it including Michigan and Oregon. The better Iliinois looks, the better Penn State's win against them looks, too.

Nittany Lions must avoid multiple trap game losses

Most games on Penn State's schedule looks like 'trap games' from here on out, to be honest. But a few stand out the most; at Wisconsin on October 26 the week before hosting Ohio State, and at home against Maryland in the final regular season game before a potential Big Ten Championship game.

Even if Penn State loses to Ohio State, it can probably still afford another loss and get into the College Football Playoff. But multiple unranked losses would make things sticky. Wisconsin will be pesky, especially in the week before the biggest game of the season, and Maryland can at least keep things interesting against the Nittany Lions. Take care of business against teams they should beat, and Penn State will be a CFP team.