On3's Brett McMurphy released his post-spring playoff rankings, and the Nittany Lions made the bracket.
The Spring season is complete and we are just a few short months away from the start of fall camp.
For the players, this time of the year is an important one. One to rest while the offseason grind turns from preparing for the future to preparing for the present. Position battles begin to become more real, that week one game inches closer, and the chase to the playoffs and beyond becomes reality.
All of that begins to happen as the days flip by and summer flies by. As the players continue their prep, for us in the media, we naturally predict the playoff teams that won't be announced for at least seven full months.
It is never too early to talk about the final 12 teams left standing, and On3's Brett McMurphy threw out his top 12, and to the surprise of many, the Nittany Lions were featured in it.
McMurphy has become one of the authorities in college football. It would be wrong to say that he is the authority, but he is certainly a well-respected personality.
In his final 12, he has the Nittany Lions checking in as the No. 11 seed in the bracket.
This final bracket is pretty standard in terms of the teams at the top. Seeds 1 through 4 are Miami, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Georgia.
I would push back slightly here, as I believe that Ohio State is going to find more challenges in 2026 than people want to admit. They will still be very good and will make the playoffs, but they will not be a top-four seed. At least in my opinion.
Georgia is also on the outside looking in, and so are the Hurricanes. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is a lock for the top four. Their regular season is largely a joke, and they should easily rip off an undefeated season.
After the top four groups, seeds 5-8 are Oregon, Texas, Indiana, and Texas A&M. This would signal a significant fall from the reigning National Champion, Indiana Hoosiers. The rest of this second tier is pretty much a run back from the 2025 Playoffs.
The final tier of teams is where the Nittany Lions fall. This group consists of Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Penn State, and North Dakota State.
The Nittany Lions check in as the No. 11 seed and would receive a very difficult draw if this is the way it shakes out. Wins over Texas and Notre Dame would be required for the opportunity to play Ohio State or Indiana. All of that has the prize of facing either Miami or Georgia.
It is a gauntlet, but just being in the playoffs would be an unmitigated success for the Nittany Lions. People cannot, and will not, forget that this program was in shambles six months ago.
They couldn't win games, they didn't have a head coach or a quarterback, and it was a total disaster.
In just five months, new head coach Matt Campbell has already changed the program and allowed the national media to not only see the inside of the program but also understand how he is operating.
A winning record would be a start, competing in the Big Ten would be an improvement, making the Playoffs would be an incredible accomplishment for Campbell.
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