Penn State Football: Ranking Penn State's 2011 Opponents

Penn State has some tough games ahead of them in 2011, including games against Ohio State and Wisconsin on the road at the end of the season and against Alabama and Nebraska at home. Iowa and Illinois also picked up wins against Penn State in 2010 and could present problems once again this season.

Then there are the teams that Penn State figures to have a much easier time with. So if you were to rank Penn State's opponents from top to bottom, a Top 12 if you will, who would be on top of the list?

Here is one Penn State writer's ranking of Penn State's opponents.

12. Indiana State Sycamores

Indiana State is Penn State's FCS opponent in 2011. The Sycamores will make the trip to Beaver Stadium for the season opener. Known more for being the Alma Mater of basketball legend Larry Bird, Indiana State is far from being known for their football. A mediocre team at best in the FCS, Indiana State is a cinch to take the bottom spot in any ranking of Penn State's opponents.

11. Eastern Michigan Eagles

Eastern Michigan will be Penn State's second opponent of the season form the MAC, and the Eagles should be a bit of a pushover for the Nittany Lions. Eastern Michigan ranked toward the bottom in of multiple offensive and defensive statistics in 2010, and not much figures to change in 2011.

Penn State blew out Eastern Michigan the last time these two teams played, and this should be another easy win for Joe Paterno.

10. Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana is still in search of their first victory against Penn State. Will they get it this season?

The Hoosiers have largely been hapless against the Nittany Lions since the two schools met in 1993 when Penn State joined the Big Ten, but they have the ability to give some fits from time to time. With a new head coach in Bloomington, there is a new level of optimism building, but Indiana has a far way to go before they can dream of making any kind of run in the Big Ten.

9. Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue had a terrible end to their season in 2010, but with players getting healthy, the Boilermakers could be a bit of a pesky team this season. Purdue will visit Happy Valley for this year's homecoming game, and the odds are pretty good that Penn State will give the traveling alums more to cheer about this season than they did last year (being blown out by Illinois).

Purdue, like Indiana, has plenty of work to do before they can start thinking about making a run in the division. The Boilermakers will be the second weakest Big Ten opponent Penn State faces this season, ahead of Indiana.

8. Temple Owls

The Temple Owls are undergoing a coaching change this season, one of two schools Penn State faces doing so, and the question will be whether or not Steve Addazio will be able to continue to produce at the level Al Golden elevated the program to during his time in Philadelphia.

The Owls lost some good players to the NFL draft but still have some good players to work around. A healthy Bernard Pierce will be the key for the Owls this entire season. Pierce got off to a good start against Penn State a year ago. Can the Owls finish the job this time around?

7. Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois embarrassed Penn State in last year's homecoming game and has the talent to put together some wins this season. If Illinois can get some more out of their passing game, they could be a dark-horse candidate to win the division this season, but Ron Zook will be on the hot seat this season, and who knows how that will play in to the week to week story of the 2011 Illini.

6. Northwestern Wildcats

Don't sleep on Northwestern.

Pat Fitzgerald is doing something right with the Wildcats, and while they may not be the first team many will think about in the Big Ten, they will have the ability to win every game they play this season. But at some point, Northwestern needs to get some more talent before they can move in to the upper ranks of the Big Ten in football.

Northwestern looked good in the first half of last year's game, but failed to score a point in the second half as Penn State rallied to win Joe Paterno's 400th game.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa has manhandled Penn State over the past decade, so you could easily make a case for putting the Hawkeyes a bit higher on this list. But are they better than some of the other teams that will appear on this list?

You know Iowa will bring a tough defense in to the game whenever they are on the schedule, and Penn State fans hope that their squad doesn't get paired up with Iowa in any possible Big Ten championship game scenarios. Iowa loses some good players on offense, and they didn't quite meet the preseason expectations heading in to 2010, but they are always a dangerous team to play.

4. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska and Penn State will begin their updated rivalry, playing as guaranteed cross over opponents in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers will enter Big Ten play coming off of two straight appearances in the Big 12 championship game, and the expectations are high for the new guys in the conference with some projecting Nebraska to make a run to the Big Ten championship game in year one.

Strong defense, decent running game. If the quarterback situation improves this season, then Nebraska could easily be considered a favorite not just in the Legends Division, but also the entire Big Ten.

3. Wisconsin Badgers

If Wisconsin can add quarterback Russell Wilson to their roster, then you can make an argument that Wisconsin could be higher, or at least the highest ranked Big Ten opponent this season.

The Badgers are coming off an impressive 11-2 season that included a trip to the Rose Bowl and co-Big Ten championship (with Ohio State and Michigan State). The Badgers lose some talent from last season, but Wisconsin seems to be able to plug some of the new holes.

Penn State makes the trip to Madison for the final game of the regular season, and there is a possibility a shot at the Big Ten championship game could be on the line for one or both programs. Playing in Camp Randall Stadium is usually not an easy task, but the last time Penn State was in town, things seemed to go their way in a romp on the road.

This Wisconsin team is tougher, though.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

This ranking should come paired with an asterisk.

By the time Penn State plays Ohio State in the next to last week of the regular season, the Buckeyes could be in top form with all of their suspended players back and in a groove, as well as their coach. If Ohio State can survive the first part of their schedule without Jim Tressel coaching and Terrelle Pryor behind center (not to mention DeVier Posey catching and Dan Herron running), then expect Ohio State to be the team to beat in the conference.

If they limp through the season, which should not be expected but is certainly not worth overlooking, then Ohio State may in fact be more likely to be lower on this ranking.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

The Alabama Crimson Tide, who return to Beaver Stadium for the first time since before Penn State joined the Big Ten, could be a BCS title contender. LSU is receiving some early praise in some preseason rankings, but the Tide have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball even after losing some play-makers to the NFL Draft.

Running back Trent Richardson carried the load, and a couple Nittany Lions, in last season's meeting in Tuscaloosa, and he could emerge as one of the top running backs in college football this season. If Nick Saban can find suitable replacements for quarterback Greg McElroy and wide receiver Julio Jones, then Alabama's offense should be just fine. And the defense for Alabama is still going to be as stingy as ever.

Alabama comes to Penn State in week two, so that could be good for Joe Paterno's team, although nothing came easy a season ago against Alabama, and nothing will come easy once again this season.