Ranking the 2022 Penn State opponents from worst to best

With the 2022 college football season right around the corner, we here at Nittany Nation decided to rank all of the Penn State opponents this season from worst to best.

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Ohio will return to Beaver Stadium for the first time since its 24-14 upset over Penn State in 2012. The Bobcats will once again get the chance to spoil the blue and white’s home opener but the odds are certainly against them.

Ohio went 3-9 last season in Tim Albin’s first year as head coach and the road to a winning record won’t get any easier. The departure of running back De’Montre Tuggle and option quarterback Armani Rogers leave the offense desperate for playmakers.

An early season matchup against a Penn State defense that should be playing at full health, inside of a deafening Beaver Stadium, no less, doesn’t forecast much success for the Bobcats.

Rutgers is always a welcome sight on the schedule for James Franklin and crew. Last season, backup quarterback Christian Veilleux became a fan favorite with a strong performance in a 28-0 stomping.

To the Scarlet Knights’ credit, coach Greg Schiano does have them going in the right direction. Believe it or not, 2021’s 5-8 (2-7) record is their best finish since 2014.

Still, the Big Ten East is unkind to rebuilding teams, and Penn State is no exception. On a talent scale alone, the Nittany Lions should wipe the floor with Rutgers, notching their 16th straight win against the team.

The Wildcats have been very inconsistent the past five years, but their disastrous 3-9 (1-8) 2021 season seems telling of their near future.

At its best, Northwestern has been a tough, punch-you-in-the-mouth type of team. Returning running back Evan Hull, fresh off a 1,000 yard season, can bring that element. Quarterback is the real concern on the offense, and Ryan Hilinski didn’t inspire many last year.

An inept offense only makes the burden even greater for the defense, as Penn State fans surely learned once Clifford went down to injury last season.

This Northwestern matchup seems like one of those games where as long as the Nittany Lions don’t give away short fields, they’ll be fine.

Don’t let this ranking fool you: Central Michigan is a good, well-coached team. The Chippewas could surprise some people by playing Penn State close at home.

Running back Lew Nichols III was a machine last season, churning out 1,895 yards on 341 carries — a stunning 5.4 yards a pop. Penn State’s run defense was a weak point last year, and facing Nichols will be a measure of how much the defense has improved with new coordinator Manny Diaz.

This running attack seems like the way to go for Central Michigan, but if quarterback Sean Clifford and company can manage a multiple-possession lead, it will force the Chippewas to throw more and stray from that game plan.

After beginning last season ranked, the Hoosiers endured a miserable 2-9 season, going winless (0-9) in Big Ten play. This included a 24-0 shutout loss to Penn State under the lights in Happy Valley.

Coach Tom Allen is a strong leader for Indiana and his team should be much more competitive this season. They usually play Penn State tough, and with this year’s matchup in Bloomington, it should be a closer game than some might think.

The X-factor for the Hoosiers is Missouri-transfer quarterback Connor Bazelak. He started 20 games in the past two seasons and has ideal size and arm talent. If he can develop, he will take Indiana to a high level.

After a 7-6 (3-6) season that included a win in the Pinstripe Bowl, Maryland looks to continue its rise in 2022.

The Terps certainly have their quarterback: Taulia Tagovailoa was impressive in his first season at College Park and has a lot of room to grow. For the first time in a while, Maryland has stability at the game’s most important position.

The real question is if the Terrapins can stand up to their ruthless conference rivals. They should play Penn State tight, especially in the first half. The Nittany Lions should pull away in the second half, boosted by the hometown crowd.

The kickoff game in West Lafayette is a very important one for both teams. The Nittany Lions hope to put last season’s disappointing finish behind them, while last season’s Spoilermakers look to prove they’re a serious contender in the West.

It’s a hard game to predict, as neither team will be playing its best football in Week 1. Much like last season’s opener against Wisconsin, this contest could be a defensive focused game.

If it is, can Penn State find a way to establish a running game? The rushing attack was woeful last season, but certainly has the talent to bounce back in 2022. We’ll see which running back Franklin decides to start Day 1, and if they can ignite an offense that’s in need of a spark.

It may not be Michigan or Ohio State, but the whiteout against Minnesota still chalks up as one of the toughest games on the schedule.

The Gophers boasted one of the top defenses in the nation last year, and that shouldn’t change for them in 2022. The biggest question is on offense, where coach P.J. Fleck’s team struggled last season.

Sixth-year quarterback Tanner Morgan is back in the saddle, bringing plenty of starting experience. Both Minnesota and Penn State are in the same spot: they will only go as far as their veteran quarterback will take them.

After eking out a win over the Tigers in last year’s whiteout, the Nittany Lions will visit Jordan Hare in an early-season rematch.

A lot has changed since that game, including Auburn’s quarterback situation. With Bo Nix off to Oregon, former Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada looks to start. Calzada helped spring the Aggies’ upset of Alabama last season, and could play spoiler to Penn State this year.

Running back Tank Bigsby became a household name to Penn State fans after rumbling through the leaky run defense last season. Stopping the Tank is going to be the biggest challenge of the night.

The Spartans surprised a lot of people by winning 11 games last year, including a classic snow game victory over Penn State in the regular season finale.

Even without running back Kenneth Walker, Michigan State figures to be fine on offense with quarterback Payton Thorne and star receiver Jayden Reed.

The biggest weakness for the Spartans last season was the pass defense. In the cold November weather, can Clifford capitalize and make plays?

Even with Jahan Dotson’s departure, the pass offense has weapons in receivers Parker Washington, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Mitchell Tinsley. It falls on the quarterback to get these players the ball in crunch time.

Penn State is headed to the Big House for a very tough game against the defending Big Ten champions.

Michigan survived an intense 21-17 game on the back of running back Hassan Haskins. Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards have the ability to replace his impact and will be a huge test on Penn State’s run defense.

The Wolverines lost a host of defensive players to the NFL, including first round picks Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Dax Hill. Even with the turnover, this defense should still be a force.

DJ Turner is a true shutdown corner, while nose tackle Mazi Smith should be a menace in the interior. Linebacker Jaylen Harrell has speed and instincts and should be tough to get past. A smart, opportunistic defense coupled with a strong running game should make this a tough one to win.

As they are seemingly every season, the Buckeyes will be most challenging opponent for the Nittany Lions.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud is coming off a Heisman-finalist season and has all the tools to light up the nation again. Receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. will give Penn State’s secondary nightmares with their blend of hands, speed and route running.

The Ohio State defense should improve from last season’s unit. There is a lot of uncertainty in certain positions, but the talent is there in new coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme. The secondary is particularly nasty with good corners in Denzel Burke and Cameron Brown, as well as experienced safeties in Ronnie Hickman and Tanner McCallister.

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