A Bold Penn State Prediction: Nittany Lions Win 2026 CFP Title, New Model Says
Since its Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame, Penn State has spent the offseason refining the last pieces of a championship contender. One college football media outlet believes Penn State will return next season as more than merely a contender.
According to the latest College Football Network playoff predictor, Penn State will win the 12-team bracket next season and claim its first national championship since the 1986 season. It’s a bold prediction regarding the Nittany Lions, who reached the semifinals of their first College Football Playoff appearance during the 2024 season.College Football Network positions Penn State with another favorable seed in the 2026 CFP tournament. The site projects Penn State earning the No. 5 overall seed and a first-round home game vs. UNLV.
After defeating the Runnin’ Rebels, Penn State would face fourth-seeded Big 12 champion Kansas State, which went 9-4 last season. In College Football Network’s prediction, the Nittany Lions get past Kansas State and into a third matchup with No. 1 overall seed Ohio State.
Having split their meetings in the regular season and Big 10 title game, the teams play their deciding game in the CFP semifinals, according to the College Football Network projection. Penn State takes the series, earning a date with Clemson (and against former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen) in the CFP championship game. What happens Jan. 19 in Miami? Here’s what College Football Network predicts