Penn State football returns in 100 days. Here’s 5 quick things to know

The 2024 season is a big one for college football for a number of reasons. The theme is expansion as the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC are all adding members effective this season. The Big Ten and Big 12 put the Pac-12 on the brink of extinction with their expansion moves. The Big Ten will be welcoming Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington this season. With the additions, the Big Ten has done away with its division format and the Big Ten championship game will pair the two teams with the best conference record during the regular season.

Penn State will face three of those new members this fall. Penn State will visit USC and host UCLA and Washington this season. Penn State will not face Oregon in the regular season until 2025.

The College Football Playoff is also expanding this season, supposedly making it easier for the Nittany Lions to get into the playoffs than ever before. The playoff field is growing from four teams to 12, with first-round matchups being played on campus sites (which Penn State is preparing for as a possibility). The top four seeds will get a bye week and quarterfinal and semifinal matchups will be played in the traditional New Years Six bowl games. The national championship game will be played in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

But it all starts for Penn State on Saturday, August 31 with a road game at West Virginia. The countdown is on at 100 days and counting.

You can see the full 2024 Penn State football schedule here, and check out these early game-by-game predictions.