Three-and-a-half weeks later, the Gophers are returning from their second bye week, are playing host to a team from the east side of the Big Ten and might need to put together their best performance of the season just to hang with Penn State.

Penn State football expects to hold its favorable spot in the third edition of the College Football Playoff rankings tonight. That will solidify its expected inclusion in the 12-team playoff and the probability of hosting a first-round game in Beaver Stadium the weekend before Christmas.

If you assumed Penn State was eliminated from the Big Ten Championship Game, it's time to reconsider. The Nittany Lions don't have a direct, or even gently curved, road to Indianapolis for the Dec. 7 title game. But they can get there. Here's how.

Penn State won't need the Big Ten title game to get into the College Football Playoff, but tiebreakers can still get them to Indianapolis.

At 6-1 in Big Tne play, Penn State sits in fourth place in the Big Ten standings following the result of Week 12. Oregon essentially clinched its spot in the Big Ten championship game with a defensive victory at Wisconsin on Saturday night.