๐Ÿˆ Fan Watch

Penn State Nittany Lions

0โ€“0 ยท 0โ€“0 BIG TEN
Preseason
WEEK 5 ยท 2026
The Week 5 job

Beat Northwestern and avoid turning a likely win into a season problem.

Your game

Penn State at Northwestern
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playoff chanceNow46%Win52%Loss31%
Penn State
Penn State 71%Northwestern 29%
Northwestern

Other impactful games

the highlighted team is the result Penn State wants
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TV TBA
Priority 1
Indiana
at
Root for
Rutgers
Root for Rutgers6.5-point title-game boost

Big Ten race: Indiana losing helps your spot in the standings; Rutgers visits your schedule in week 12: keep them ranked.

30% if Rutgers wins23% with the other result6.5-point differencePenn State Big Ten title-game chance
TBD
SAT OCT 3
TV TBA
Priority 2
Root for
Maryland
at
Nebraska
Root for Maryland1.9-point playoff boost

Maryland visits your schedule in week 13: keep them ranked.

47% if Maryland wins45% with the other result1.9-point differencePenn State playoff chance
TBD
SAT OCT 3
TV TBA
Priority 3
Ohio State
at
Root for
Iowa
Root for Iowa2.1-point title-game boost

Big Ten race: Ohio State losing helps your spot in the standings.

25% if Iowa wins23% with the other result2.1-point differencePenn State Big Ten title-game chance
TBD
SAT OCT 3
TV TBA
Priority 4
Alabama
at
Root for
Mississippi State
Root for Mississippi State1.2-point playoff boost

Mississippi State winning thins out the at-large competition for your playoff spot.

47% if Mississippi State wins45% with the other result1.2-point differencePenn State playoff chance
50 more games that don't move your needle
Purdue at Illinois
Washington at USC
North Texas at Tulsa ยท ESPN
Western Kentucky at New Mexico State ยท CBSSN
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech ยท ESPN
Liberty at Delaware ยท CBSSN
Vanderbilt at Georgia
Florida at Missouri
Kentucky at South Carolina
Auburn at Tennessee
Arkansas at Texas A&M
Middle Tennessee at Kansas
Baylor at Arizona State
BYU at TCU
UCF at Houston
Cincinnati at Arizona
Texas Tech at Colorado
West Virginia at Iowa State
Boston College at SMU
California at UNLV ยท CBSSN
Louisville at NC State
Miami at Clemson
Notre Dame at North Carolina
Stanford at Wake Forest
Syracuse at UConn ยท CBSSN
Virginia at Florida State
Michigan at Minnesota
Michigan State at Wisconsin
Utah State at Boise State ยท CBSSN
Oregon State at Colorado State ยท USA Network
Texas State at San Diego State ยท The CW Network
Fresno State at Washington State ยท USA Network
Memphis at Charlotte
UTSA at Rice
Navy at Air Force ยท CBS
Temple at South Florida
San Josรฉ State at Hawai'i ยท MW+
UTEP at New Mexico ยท MW+
Akron at Central Michigan
Toledo at Ball State
Western Michigan at Buffalo
Eastern Michigan at Massachusetts
Ohio at Kent State
Bowling Green at Miami (OH)
Army at Louisiana Tech
Arkansas State at Louisiana
Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina
Old Dominion at Georgia State
Marshall at James Madison
UL Monroe at South Alabama
Your rooting list:Penn State, then Rutgers, Maryland, Iowa, Mississippi State.

Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 5, with preseason ratings projected from last season. How the model works.