The Nittany Lions are entering college football's first 12-team playoff as the bracket's sixth seed with a home matchup against No. 11-seeded Southern Methodist University on Saturday.
Even though the contest kicks off at noon, the forecast for Happy Valley doesn't exactly scream, "welcome!" to the team from Texas as the has high temperatures are forecasted to be the mid-20s and lows in the teens.
Penn State enters the contests as more than a touchdown favorites over the Mustangs thanks to that home-field advantage, signaling a likely chance the Nittany Lions advance to the college football quarterfinals.
Who would Penn State play next if they were to win Saturday? Let's take a closer look.
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Who would Penn State play in the CFB quarterfinals?
The third-seeded Boise State led by Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty await the winner of the Nittany Lions and Mustangs in the quarterfinals. The Broncos received a first-round bye as the highest-ranked team from a non-Power 5 conference.
What bowl game would Penn State play in?
The opening round is the only time in the playoff where teams will host games on college campuses. In the quarterfinals, the contests move to the traditional neutral sites of bowl games.
The Boise State vs. Penn State/SMU winner are slated to play in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
When is the Fiesta Bowl this year?
The Fiesta Bowl scheduled to take place Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET. / 6:30 p.m. CT.
The game will be available to watch on ESPN. It will be only quarterfinal game played on New Year's Eve.
Who would Penn State play in the CFB semifinals?
If Penn State were to defeat Boise State in Glendale, they would play either two-seeded Georgia or the winner of the first round game between No.10 Indiana and No. 7 Notre Dame.
The national semifinals are the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas, which are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 10, respectively. Both games can be watched on ESPN and are set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET. / 6:30 p.m. CT.
Who would Penn State play in the CFB National Championship game?
Let's play out the dream scenario for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State would play the winner of the other College Football Playoff semifinal game. The possible opponents range from the lowest seeded team (No. 12 Clemson) to the tournament's favorite (No. 1 Oregon).
The other teams on the top side of the bracket include Ohio State and Tennessee who meet in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday in a first round contest to determine who plays undefeated Oregon.
Also a possible championship opponent is No. 5-seeded Texas who hosts Clemson in Austin, Texas Saturday.
When is the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game?
The CFP national championship game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, will host the championship contest.
Mercedes-Benz is also the site of the Peach Bowl, which is part of the CFP quarterfinals.
