What does James Franklin's Penn State Nittany Lions squad need to secure a place in the 12-team College Football Playoff?

The third-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions have quietly had one of the best starts in recent memory, entering Week 8 with a 6-0 record, 3-0 in the Big Ten. Penn State is looking to secure its first College Football Playoff bid in school history and has shown the ability to win close games.

As Penn State enters Week 8, let's look at what else the Nittany Lions need to accomplish to secure a spot in the 12-team CFP.

What does James Franklin's Penn State Nittany Lions need to make the College Football Playoff

NCAA Football: Penn State at Southern California - Source: Imagn

To its credit, Penn State is perfect entering Week 8, but the road will get tough for the Nittany Lions.

First, Penn State will look to shore up its offensive inconsistencies. Aside from its 56-0 win over Kent State, Penn State has struggled offensively versus two lower-tier opponents.

Versus UCLA, the Nittany Lions mustered just 27 points on the Big Ten's second-worst scoring defense. Against Illinois, Penn State posted 374 yards of total offense but notched just 21 points. The Nittany Lions also struggled versus USC in Week 7, with three turnovers versus the Trojans. The 3-3 Trojans took the Nittany Lions to overtime, but Penn State came out on top with a 33-30 win.

The Nittany Lions have been led by their rushing attack and will look to find consistency in the passing game as the season progresses.

The second thing Penn State needs is a statement win. The Nittany Lions have a Top 25 win over Illinois (then-No. 19) but looked unimpressive despite the 21-7 win. Penn State will have the opportunity to pick up a case-making win when the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1, 2-1) come to town on Nov. 2. That's the only currently ranked team on Penn State's remaining schedule.

If Penn State can pull off a win over the Buckeyes at home, it will establish the Nittany Lions as a true national championship contender and likely guarantee their spot in the College Football Playoff.