ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

After a Big Ten co-championship and a Rose Bowl appearance, Penn State aims to repeat last year's success this fall. It has the schedule to do so. 

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Akron

Sept. 12 Syracuse

Sept. 19 Temple

Oct. 10 Eastern Illinois

My take: Penn State should have no trouble cruising through the league's easiest nonconference schedule. The problem once again comes if the Nittany Lions are in the national title mix. They didn't get nearly enough credit for a Week 2 blowout of Oregon State last year, but their 2009 slate is impossible to defend. Penn State's only chance for a trip to the BCS championship is an undefeated regular season, and even that isn't a guarantee. Temple is making some progress under Al Golden, but the Owls shouldn't challenge Penn State in Happy Valley. Anything less than 4-0 will be a major disappointment, and Penn State should win all four home games by a wide margin. 

BIG TEN SCHEDULE

Sept. 26 Iowa

Oct. 3 at Illinois

Oct. 17 Minnesota

Oct. 24 at Michigan

Oct. 31 at Northwestern

Nov. 7 Ohio State

Nov. 14 Indiana

Nov. 21 at Michigan State

Byes: Purdue, Wisconsin

My take: Penn State is the last Big Ten team to beat Ohio State at home, and the Nittany Lions get the Buckeyes in Happy Valley for a game that could decide the league title. They also host Iowa, a preseason top 20 team that stunned Penn State last year at Kinnick Stadium. The road schedule isn't easy, as Illinois and Michigan should be improved and Northwestern usually plays the Lions tough in Evanston. The regular-season finale at Michigan State also could loom large. Penn State dropped its last game at Spartan Stadium and saw its scoring production drop off on the road late last season. Still, the schedule favors the Lions to repeat as league champs.