Early season rankings have Penn State at the top of the list of programs to watch, even over Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
How Penn State’s Standout Offseason Has Closed the Big Ten Gap
The Penn State Nittany Lions are fresh off a historic run last season, just missing out on the College Football Playoff National Championship, but are primed to have a great 2025 season. And judging by the experts’ offseason grades, they agree.
Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt has Penn State as his pick to win this year’s CFP National Championship. “They’re following the blueprint of the teams that have just won the national championship,” he said, noting that the team is returning most of its core much like Michigan and Ohio State did in previous years before they won.
“Both of these teams had veterans at quarterback,” he added. “They had veterans on both sides of the ball. They were excellent at the line of scrimmage. They had chips on their shoulders from the way they were bounced in the postseason in years prior. All of that is true about Penn State.”
CBS Sports’ Bud Elliott feels Penn State’s ready for a deep run, but does cite the turnover on defense with the team losing players like Abdul Carter and Chop Robinson. “I think I see a little backslide for Penn State’s defense, and I do think I see a step forward for Penn State’s offense,” he said. “I think for the first time in a long time, the offense is better than the defense.”
The Nittany Lions had their first 13-win season last year, going 11-1 in the regular season and reaching the College Football Playoff Semifinal, losing to Notre Dame 27-24. They would also get their first ranking in the top five of programs nationally since 2005.
The upcoming season could see them be more dominant than their rivals, Ohio State and Michigan, who are ranked slightly behind them by experts.
KEEP READING: Analyst Questions Penn State’s Roster Moves Amid High Expectations
Penn State also has one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, bolstered by the addition of top receiver Trebor Pena from Syracuse and linebacker Amare Campbell from North Carolina. The two transfers join 10 freshmen, including their lone five-star recruit, offensive lineman Malachi Goodman.
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