The Penn State football team is 6-0 for the first time since 2008. In each game thus far, excluding the Iowa matchup, Penn State has shown nothing but dominance on the field. The competition is to only get tougher from here, though. After their 31-7 victory over Dark Horse Northwestern on Saturday, the team has a bye week ahead before they play Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State in consecutive weeks. The defense has been impressive this season. The team is allowing an average of only 9.4 points per game and is the only defense in the FBS to have held all of their opponents scoreless in the first quarter. The defense has been overshadowed by the offense, who is averaging over 40 points per game. Saquon Barkley is currently a leading Heisman candidate. Only six games into the season, Barkley has racked up 1,302 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Trace McSorley has kept up with his performance from last year. According to ESPN, McSorley has a better completion percentage than last year, completing over 60% of passes. His QBR (total quarterback rating) is roughly the same as last year at 154.1. In the game against Indiana, DaeSean Hamilton passed Deon Butler as Penn State’s career leading receptions holder. With only 710 yards to go, Hamilton is getting closer to breaking the reception yards record with each game.

The upcoming bye week gives Penn State time to prepare for a three-week slate that could determine who contends for the Big Ten East title and the CFP (College Football Playoff). If they make it through these three weeks unscathed, there is a strong chance that Penn State will be in the CFP.  Michigan is to provide a test for the offense. Michigan’s defense has been carrying it’s struggling offense. There is also uncertainty as to if starting quarterback Wilton Speight will play against Penn State. John Harbaugh has stated that he is going to miss a few weeks with the injury that he suffered against Purdue earlier this season. John O’Korn will start if Speight is unable to play. This will likely not affect the Michigan offense much. Penn State’s defense will have a chance to prove that they are an elite squad if they perform well facing the Michigan and Ohio State offenses. The game versus Ohio State has a chance of knocking the losing team from the playoff race. If Ohio State losses, it will be difficult for them to be in the race with two losses and no championship game, and two wins against top ten opponents will boost Penn State’s resume. With USC, Louisville, and Ohio State all having one loss, a slip up by Penn State could open the door for these teams. It could also open the possibility for a two-loss team like Ohio State to get in.

After playing Ohio State, Penn State battles Michigan State. Michigan State is a team that has a chance to upset Penn State. Michigan State has been overlooked after last years disastrous season. They are 4-1, with their only loss to Notre Dame, and they upset Michigan last week, which makes them look much more dangerous. The team has improved significantly from last season. Penn State ends the regular season with a road game against Maryland during Thanksgiving week. Their (Maryland’s) offense seems to be carrying the team while the defense is allowing nearly 30 points per game. This game could be the final test before the Big Ten Championship Game, provided that the Nittany Lions are in a position to get there. Maryland is down two starting quarterbacks due to ACL tears. Third stringer Max Bortenschlager looked very comfortable against Minnesota after stepping in for the UCF game. As is stands, fans may witness a rematch against Wisconsin.