LOS ANGELES – Center Juice Scruggs is leaving the Nittany Lions after today’s Rose Bowl. 

But he has a prediction about his teammates on his way out. 

“I’m calling it now,” he said during Rose Bowl preparations against Utah (5 p.m., ESPN). “I think they’re going to reach the playoffs next year.” 

For that to happen, a reasonable starting point would be beating a respected Utah team that is the Pac-12 champion for two straight years. 

Though the Lions must replace Scruggs, their top tight end in Brenton Strange, leading receiver Parker Washington, maybe the best cover cornerback they’ve ever had in Joey Porter and will break in a new starting quarterback in Drew Allar – some would say finally – optimism is high for 2023. 

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, the former Ohio State quarterback who especially monitors the Big Ten closely and has always shown respect for Penn State, sees the Lions trending up. 

“I just feel like they’re a program that’s where Michigan was prior to last year, kind of knocking on the door, but not quite getting that signature win to be able to get them into the playoff,” Herbstreit, who will call today’s game, said. “But it doesn’t mean they’re way beyond even imagining that. They’re right there.” 

Penn State is embracing the narrative that Michigan caught fire late in 2021, finally beat Ohio State and now has surpassed the Buckeyes with consecutive wins over them and two straight Big Ten titles. 

In fact, Michigan’s run started with a win at Beaver Stadium in 2021. 

Can the Lions retrace the Wolverines’ footprint? 

James Franklin has not proven – to this point – that he can get over that hump. 

He’s 3-6 against the Wolverines and 1-8 vs. the Buckeyes – with three come-from-ahead losses. He’s also 0-for-his-last-11 against Top 10 teams. 

Unlike the past few years, however, this Franklin team shook off its disappointing losses to the big boys better this year. They’ve continued to recruit extremely well and are stocking NFL rosters. 

When asked to assess his progress in the pursuit toward the elusive elite level, Franklin often deflects the question to the university’s commitment. 

But he has repeatedly said this year that he feels more “alignment” with new president Neeli Bendapudi and energetic athletic director Pat Kraft. 

A former Indiana walk-on linebacker, Kraft has been all in on Franklin since taking over for Sandy Barbour in July. 

“I want to make sure that (Franklin) has every resource available to go win a national championship,” Kraft said. “(It’s) why I’m so happy that we’re going to play in the Rose Bowl, why I know we’re going to be elite and why we’re going to win a national championship — because I believe he does everything the right way with those young men. That’s what it’s really about.” 

Here’s what it’s also about: Winning, especially on the grand stage that the Rose Bowl certainly provides. 

A victory over Utah would turn a successful season into a great one. With losses to Ohio State and Michigan, Penn State’s best win came over 8-5 Purdue. 

A loss to Utah would keep the Lions were they are, on the periphery of college football’s upper-echelon. 

Another trend Franklin must stymie is the Lions’ performance in bowls. He’s 3-4 in postseason games at PSU, but 0-4 in January games as the Nits have often started slowly. 

In the last six bowls, they’ve been blanked four times in the first quarter and led after the first quarter just once. They dug a 13-0 hole against USC in their last Rose Bowl appearance. 

 “We need to start fast,” offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich said. 

That would help set a tone for a game that could go a long way toward providing the confidence needed to tackle Michigan and Ohio State in 2023. 

“I feel like we did well this whole year,” freshman tailback Nick Singleton said. “We won 10 games. (But) winning this game against a Top 10 opponent would mean a lot going into next year and set the tone.” 

Some bowl games are seen as putting a bow on a good season. Others are meant as a springboard toward the future. 

For Penn State, this Rose Bowl can be looked upon as both. 

Rudel can be reached at 814-946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.