Penn State Football: Closer to 7-5 or College Football Playoff?

Conclusion

So here we are, finally at the end of my long winded article. Are you ready to answer the question yet?

And look, I know my question is misleading because it is only asking you two possible outcomes. I do realize there could be a 3rd outcome, which is Penn State stays where they currently are. A good program who is going to win 9, 10, or 11 games per year.

But in today’s college football, it’s incredibly hard for a program to stay in that 10 win area. Mainly because it’s difficult to maintain the level of recruiting and snagging some of the nation’s best recruits when your program isn’t necessarily showing the results on the field. Especially when you aren’t in the discussion for making the playoffs.

Another thing I also realize is a program can still get to the elite level and not necessarily tick off all of the boxes I mentioned. But the only way for this to happen is for the football program to have other worldly coaching. Both in the weekly game plans and in-game adjustments. However this is incredibly rare. If this happens it’s usually a flash in the pan and the football program only rises to the top of the mountain for a short time.

Based on what I have laid out in front of you, and what you have seen from Penn State over the years, do you believe they are realistically closer to consistently being in the playoff picture? Or do you believe they are closer to a mediocre P5 program which finishes 7-5/8-4 every year?