If you are looking for someone to sugarcoat the state of college football scheduling, Paul Finebaum is not your guy. His blunt, unapologetic take hits right on the spot. And he is consistent with it, until he gets the message across. After taking shots at SMU’s Rhett Lashlee last week, here comes another. Kicking off this week, the ESPN persona has given yet another blunt take on a major Big 10 powerhouse, which will surely give a not-so-easily smooched burn to its loyal fan base.
That brings us to the latest episode of Finebaum’s takedown tour, this time featuring not just one program, but a handful of coaches who, in his eyes, have no business criticising the SEC. His primary target? Indiana’s HC Curt Cignetti. Cignetti, along with Bielema, made headlines for trying to call out the SEC’s scheduling approach. But for someone who’s long defended the SEC’s non-conference strategy, these jabs didn’t land well. Finebaum used their remarks as a springboard to revisit a topic he’s hammered before.
It started off with a candid discussion on Mc&Cube’s Morning Podcast, and the topic of contention was the strength of schedule. “Curt Signetti, appreciate what he’s done in the past, but he made a complete fool out of himself trying to draw a parallel. So did other coaches. I mean, it’s like Bret Bielema came up with the game plan about five weeks ago and handed it out to his coaching buddies, and none of them delivered it.”
“Well, if you are going to go after the SEC, there are places you can attack, but don’t try to attack on the strength of schedule, and don’t try to attack on the non-conference games.” He then followed with the Michigan Wolverines’ 2023 season schedule. But what about the upcoming season? His main criticism was squarely on Penn State. “Penn State is playing the most embarrassing schedule this year that I have ever seen.”
And that’s how the Nittany Lions got Finebaum’s final burn. And honestly, Finebaum isn’t completely wrong. For a program like Penn State, which consistently aims for the Big 10 Championship and CFB births, its upcoming non-conference slate appears not-so-challenging. Penn State opens the season at home with Nevada, FIU, and Villanova. He believes that the Nittany Lions have the obligation to play more challenging non-conference games. He even listed out other major college football programs that are scheduling strongly. Look at LSU and Clemson, or Miami and Notre Dame. Even Ohio State is hosting the Longhorns on its turf. And it wasn’t the first time Paul Finebaum slammed Penn State. It happened earlier this month as well. Twice a month, same jibe. Finebaum seems really off with the schedule. So, what exactly is Penn State’s 2025 schedule?
Penn State’s 2025 non-conference games are dubbed “Cupcakes”
So, the Nittany Lions will kick off their season against Nevada on August 30, followed by Florida State University on September 6, and then Villanova on September 13. After three consecutive non-conference games, Lions Nation sits tight for the highly awaited “White Out” tradition at Beaver Stadium, as the Lions will go against the Oregon Ducks.
Then, they move to UCLA Bruins, Northwestern, and Iowa in October. For the concluding weeks in November, they will duel against the 2024 reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. Well, last season’s defeat 13-20 left a bitter after-taste at Happy Valley with the adrenaline already pumping. At last comes No.2 Big 10 rank-holder Indiana, and 2023 Natty champion Michigan Wolverines.
It seems like Paul Finebaum is yearning for Penn State to work on it. Earlier this month, he had called out the Nittany Lions, “I thought I retired the trophy, but nobody has ever retired a trophy more embarrassing than Penn State. That is a disgrace for a Big Ten school to play three cupcakes like that.” Honestly, it makes sense. Even if Penn State performs well during the non-conference games, its overall strength of schedule will be lower and might be detrimental to its potential bowl prospects.
So, yes, Penn State has got Ohio State and Oregon on its schedule, but the early not-so-challenging non-conference games likely pad the record on the turf until the stakes get high in the concluding weeks.
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