Penn State Football: Power Ranking Nittany Lions' Toughest Challenges in 2012

Penn State is looking down a challenging schedule in 2012. There is no Alabama on the non-conference schedule. But this could be one of the toughest non-conference schedules overall Penn State has seen in years, with a road game inside ACC territory (Virginia), a rising Big East opponent coming to Beaver Stadium (Temple) and worthy challenges from the triple-option offense attack of Navy and defending MAC East division champ Ohio also making trips to State College.

The conference schedule includes trips to Nebraska and Iowa, which are never easy, as well as Illinois, who will be thinking about revenge after last season. Ohio State? Wisconsin? Never easy.

We ranked the opponents on Penn State's schedule from bottom to top to see just who will be the toughest to bring down and which games we can think about marking down as a loss now.

Let's begin.

12. Indiana

Penn State has yet to lose a game to Indiana since joining the Big Ten in 1993, although there have been some close scares. The Hoosiers were a mess last season but managed to give Penn State some trouble on defense. This year the Hoosiers should still be a weak threat on offense, which plays in to the hands of Penn State's defense. And the Nittany Lions should be more formidable on offense under the new offensive style and coaching.

Indiana also comes at the end of the season the week before Penn State hosts Wisconsin, so Penn State's offense should pretty much be in sync, in theory. When you mark down wins and losses on the schedule, this one should be a pretty confident prediction resulting in a win for Penn State.

11. Northwestern

Northwestern is hardly considered an easy win, but without a threatening defense, the Wildcats can be easy to pile up yards and points against. This should be good news for Penn State, who has utilized a physical advantage in the running game in recent years to pick up wins against the Wildcats. With Silas Redd looking to be the focus of Penn State's offense and the defense likely to be in good shape, that should lead to another win for Penn State.

What keeps Northwestern from being any higher on this list for right now is a questionable offense. They will be pesky at times, but without a true difference maker lining up, it will be difficult for the Wildcats to be able to hang for a full 60 minutes on a weekly basis.

10. Navy

Navy's one-dimensional offense is typically not the kind of attack that can penetrate Penn State's defense enough to contend. Make no mistake, Navy's option offense will cause Penn State to keep a close eye on the football, but this could be a defense that is ready to redeem themselves when it comes to stopping the run after last season. Navy will be a solid test early on for stopping the run because that is all Navy can do well.

An occasional pass here and there from Navy early on could mix things up a bit, but if Navy is going to run, run and run the football, then there is little chance Penn State will be beat.

9. Purdue

This may actually be low for Purdue, who could be considered a bit of a wild card in the Big Ten Leaders Division. If there is one team that may fly under the radar and make a surprise run in the Big Ten, it could be Purdue. But until the Boilermakers prove themselves on the field, this game should be considered on the weaker end of the ranking of opponents for the time being. If nothing else, having Purdue ranked this low should speak highly of the teams ranked ahead of it.

Purdue's offense, if healthy, could be tricky, and the Boilermakers should be a team capable of keeping things close, especially at home. Purdue will host Penn State this season after playing a pretty decent game in State College last season. Purdue put together 344 yards of offense last season against Penn State but could not come up with the big plays when it needed them the most.

8. Ohio

The defending MAC East champions make their way to Happy Valley for the first time since 1974, and they will be looking to get off on the right foot in the season opener. Last season, the Bobcats scored an average of 30.5 points per game while allowing 22.1 points per game, both respectable numbers. A chance to start the year off with a win on Big Ten soil is something every MAC team hopes to pull off, and Ohio may have a decent chance to do that this season.

7. Temple

Temple has been closing the gap with Penn State in recent years, but victory continues to somehow elude the rising program.

Now a member of the Big East and in year two under Steve Addazio, the Owls will need to try and keep the pressure on without Bernard Pierce lining up in the backfield. Matt Brown should be a solid replacement for the Owls, but will they be as diverse on offense? Temple also needs to improve its passing game, something former Penn State quarterback Kevin Newsome hopes to be a part of.

Temple is clearly a program on the rise, but it is lacking their signature win during this new era of Temple football. Penn State will continue to be the top target for a team that plays physical defense and has shown to be capable of slowing down the Nittany Lions. Will this finally be the year Temple takes down Penn State?

6. Iowa

The last time Penn State visited Iowa and returned home with a win was 1999, and that includes some painful losses along the way. Bucking that trend will be no easy task against a program that generally plays decent defense at home and has a knack for coming up with key plays against Penn State when needed.

But this Iowa team is different from some of the teams Penn State has faced in recent years. The Nittany Lions snapped a losing streak to Iowa last fall in Happy Valley, so they know they can beat this team. But playing on the road is a different story.

5. Virginia

Virginia is going to have a difficult time duplicating and exceeding the success experienced in year two under Mike London, but the attitude and atmosphere surrounding the Cavaliers has certainly changed for the better in a short time under their new head coach. When Penn State comes to town, the Cavaliers will look to defend their home turf against a Big Ten opponent.

Virginia's offense is nothing to write home about, and the defense is slightly above average. This could be a game in which both offenses struggle to do much of anything, and playing on the road early on should be a good test for Penn State.

The Virginia game should be the toughest of the non-conference games on Penn State's schedule.

4. Illinois

Illinois has shown that it knows how to play defense against Penn State. Each of the past two meetings have been impressive for the Fighting Illini in slowing down and shutting down Penn State's offense. And if not for some late-game magic last season in snowy Happy Valley, the Illini would have won two straight games in Beaver Stadium.

Now Illinois has a new head coach, which should see Nathan Scheelhaase excel at quarterback passing and running the football. And the Illini get the Nittany Lions at home. Illinois and Penn State may be on even playing ground as far as talent is concerned overall this season, and getting the game at home should give Illinois the advantage.

3. Ohio State

The Buckeyes will be looking to play a spoiler role all season in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes may be prohibited from winning the Big Ten due to a postseason ban by the NCAA this fall, but they can make it more difficult for everyone else, including Penn State.

The Buckeyes visit State College in late October, and with Urban Meyer leading the program, they will be tough to beat no matter when the game is played. Many are expecting a big season of growth for quarterback Braxton Miller, and by the time this game comes around, he could be a well-seasoned sophomore. If he can cut down on mistakes younger players typically make, which was evident last year in Columbus against Penn State, then the Ohio State offense will be tough to slow down too much.

Penn State could need this game to remain in the hunt for a Big Ten division championship, and playing at home should give the Nittany Lions a little boost. But Ohio State backs down to nobody, and this team is not intimidated to play inside Beaver Stadium. This one could be one of the most pivotal games of the year for Penn State.

2. Wisconsin

The regular-season finale against Wisconsin last year did not go so well for the Nittany Lions. But this year Penn State gets the Badgers at home, and it will have revenge on the mind, and perhaps a berth in the Big Ten championship game. A lot has to go right between September and late November for Penn State, but that could very well be the scenario in place when Wisconsin comes to Beaver Stadium.

This year's Badgers will look pretty familiar to Penn State fans. The defense will be above average in Big Ten play but likely to let down the team from time to time. As Michigan State, Ohio State and Oregon showed last year, the Wisconsin defense lets up big plays if you can get the right matchups to go in your favor. Unfortunately, Penn State may not have those matchups in place.

Montee Ball returns after a Heisman-finalist season, and he could be more of a focus of the offense this season, which means slowing down Wisconsin's running game will be key. The Badgers could see a more balanced passing attack, though, with Danny O'Brien transferring from Maryland. O'Brien is more of a typical passer than Russell Wilson was, but he is capable of tucking the football and taking off if needed. Wilson brought more of a dynamic feel to the offense, but O'Brien will have the Badgers thinking big this season anyway.

1. Nebraska

Nebraska takes top honors this year for Penn State's toughest game. Wisconsin and Ohio State may be better teams overall, but playing on the road always increases the difficulty in picking up a win. Playing in Lincoln multiplies that difficulty level.

Penn State's first trip to Lincoln for a Big Ten matchup in November has slight potential to be a Big Ten championship game preview, although certainly not the most likely matchup. And both teams will need to walk away form this game with a win in order to keep their division championship sights in focus.

The Huskers took a physical game last November under an emotional cloud following the Jerry Sandusky scandal rocking the Penn State community in harsh fashion. Rex Burkhead showed what a dominating running back can do against Penn State's defense, and that should once again be the case for Nebraska, playing at home.

The key will be to force Nebraska into a situation where Taylor Martinez is forced to beat Penn State. Last season saw Martinez come through with some clutch plays to extend possessions in a defensive battle. But he can be erratic and keep Nebraska from reaching the next level. With a young secondary lacking some experience, this could be a concern for Penn State.

How would you rank the opponents Penn State will face this season? Which school do you think poses the biggest threat this season? Who is ranked too low in this list? Too high? Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast, managing editor of Nittany Lions Den and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.