With all of the positions on the team covered it is now time to take a look at the schedule and predict how the season will go for the Nittany Lions in 2009.

A couple quick notes about the schedule:

1. Yes, the out of conference portion is very week. Will that kill Penn State’s BCS title game hopes even if they go undefeated? My prediction is yes, if there is more than one other undefeated from a power conference.

2. There is no bye week this year. That could be a good thing. Remember, Penn State’s lone loss last year came at Iowa, after a bye week.

3. Penn State is one of only a few teams that have eight home games. That favors Penn State because of such a great home field advantage with 110.000 plus fans in their corner.

4. The four road games that the Nittany Lions have are by no means pushovers and anyone of them could be a trap game.

Okay, now with those thoughts in your head, I will make my predictions for each game, and Penn State will not be undefeated. This does not mean they cannot go 12-0 because they very well could. Let’s look at how the full schedule will shake out.

Penn State opens at home with Akron from the Mid-American Conference on Sept. 5. The Zips should not provide much resistance to Penn State in the opener, but some experts including Reece Davis and Ivan Maisel of ESPN pick them to win their division in the MAC East. If that happens, it would be a great thing for Penn State and their strength of schedule. Anyway you look at it; the Nittany Lions should be 1-0 after the game.

On Sept. 12, Syracuse, the laughing stock of the Big East the last couple of years, comes to Happy Valley. Last year Penn State terrorized Syracuse in the Carrier Dome and I would expect much of the same thing this year. It will be fun to watch Greg Paulus play in Beaver Stadium but I don’t see his addition helping Syracuse much this year. Penn State should be 2-0.

That brings us to Sept. 19 and a date with the Temple Owls, another MAC opponent. Temple is on the upswing under head coach Al Golden and has garnered some preseason picks to win the MAC East just like Akron, as Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. picked them to win it. Regardless, Penn State should not be challenged hard in this game and should be 3-0.

Then the first real test comes to Beaver Stadium for an 8 p.m. prime time TV game on Sept. 26. The Nittany Lions will be out to revenge their only loss last year as Iowa comes to town for the Big Ten opener. Iowa is ranked number 22 in the preseason AP Poll and 21 in the USA Today Poll and still should be ranked for this game. The student section, which was named the nation’s best for the third straight year by Kirk Herbstreit, will be as loud as can be and a White House has been called for. Iowa, under Kirk Ferentz will not be scared though even with news out that their starting RB Jewel Hampton will be out for the season because he needs knee surgery. This is a big blow, but Penn State better have worked out all their kinks in the first three games (wide receivers, offensive line, secondary, kicker, to name a few) if they want to leave this game with a good taste in their mouth. I suspect that it will be a close game but I think Penn State should pull it out, maybe with a last second field goal of their own (wouldn’t that be sweet). I predict Penn State to be 4-0 but they could very easily be 3-1.

Penn State’s first road test comes at Illinois the following week, Oct. 3. The combination of Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn will be sure to test the secondary like they haven’t been tested to this date and by this time Illinois could be a ranked team. Something doesn’t sit easy in me with this game. Penn State could be coming off the high of beating Iowa and I expect a high scoring game. I’m going to go with the first loss of the season for the Nittany Lions in this one, but their chances for a second straight Big Ten title will not be gone. So with my predictions that puts Penn State at 4-1.

Penn State returns home for their last non-conference game, this time on Oct. 10 against FCS opponent Eastern Illinois. This should be a no-contest and will do little to help Penn State regain confidence if they are coming off a loss to Illinois. If however, the Nittany Lions are still undefeated it will be a good break in the schedule after two tough conference games and many more to come. 5-1 record after this game.

On Oct. 17 Minnesota comes to Happy Valley for homecoming. The Golden Gophers are definitely improved and have a good tandem in QB Adam Weber and WR Eric Decker that could again challenge the secondary. This time unlike the Illinois game, I expect Penn State to come out on top, moving them to 6-1 and 2-1 in the Big Ten.

Oct. 24 brings a date at the revamped Big House. Penn State will take on the Rich Rodriguez led Michigan team in a place they flat out haven’t had any good fortunes in. Penn State did break a nine-game losing streak to Michigan last year, but now they have to do it at Michigan. There is too much up in the air with the Michigan program this year, with recent reports of NCAA violations, that I see Penn State slipping by in this one. They will be 7-1 leaving the Big House.

Penn State stays on the road for a trip to Northwestern on Oct. 31. This very well could be another trap game. Last year Northwestern was much improved and are looking to build on that. I expect a dog fight in this one with Penn State winning in the end. Hopefully it won’t be as close as 2005 when Michael Robinson and Derrick Williams’ heroics pulled out the victory. Penn State should now be 8-1 and 4-1 in the Big Ten.

The biggest test of the year comes next on Nov. 7 when Ohio State comes to Beaver Stadium. The past two seasons each team has won on the others home field. The Buckeyes, who are ranked No. 6 in both the AP and USA Today preseason polls should still, be ranked very high for this game. It could be a showdown between two top-10 teams and go a long way to decide who wins the Big Ten title this year. Another ingredient to make this one exciting is the fact that Ohio State QB Terrell Pryor comes to Penn State for the first time (not on a recruiting visit or playing basketball) and will face a hostile student section. Remember, he turned down an opportunity to play for the Nittany Lions in his home state and the students want to “make Pryor cry again,” just like after the loss to Penn State in the Horseshoe last season.

This one should be an all-out brawl with both teams hitting their stride as it gets late in the season. My prediction is for Penn State to pull this one out in a classic that will be remembered for a long time in Nittany Lion’s fans minds. Penn State moves to 9-1 and now has the upper hand on Ohio State for the Big Ten title. Unfortunately, I think Ohio State will beat Illinois on their Sept. 26 date and the three will be in a three-way-tie for in the Big Ten standings. Penn State would then have to hope Illinois drops a second Big Ten game for it to end up like last season.

Win or lose against Ohio State, the season isn’t over yet. Penn State takes on Indiana on senior day in Beaver Stadium on Nov. 14. The Hoosiers will be near if not at the bottom of the Big Ten and this should be an easy victory as Penn State says goodbye to another great group of seniors. This one moves Penn State to 10-1 and 6-1 in the Big Ten.

The last game of the regular season comes on Nov. 21 in East Lansing against Michigan State. This is a tough place to play, and the Spartans are a solid team that hopes to be in contention for the Big Ten title as well. It should be a close game but I expect Penn State to hold on this time in East Lansing, unlike in 2007 when they let a big lead slip away. The win moves Penn State to 11-1 and 7-1 in the Big Ten. They are in a three-way tie for first with Illinois and Ohio State and we wait to see which team gets which bowl game.

That is my prediction 11-1. Unfortunately with the weak schedule, one loss means no National Title game, but a BCS Bowl should be theirs.

Again, I can see Penn State going 12-0 and being in the mix for the title game if everything meshes together like it could. On a bad note, the season could end up 8-4 with losses to Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan State if things do not click for this edition of the Nittnay Lions.