Head coach James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions finally broke through in 2024, winning two College Football Playoff games en route to an Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame in the CFP Semifinal.
The Nittany Lions are looking to build on last year’s success, with hopes to finally knock off Ohio State for the first time since 2016.
Is Penn State Building the Perfect Storm With Drew Allar and Its Star Backfield?
This might just be the team to do it, earning themselves a No. 1 ranking in On3’s Ari Wasserman’s Top 25. The Nittany Lions are stacked, bringing back star quarterback Drew Allar, who seems poised to be picked near the top of the first round in the 2026 NFL Draft. Allar improved in a strong junior performance last year, throwing for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, adding 302 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
The Nittany Lions are also blessed with the best running back duo in the country, with seniors Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Singleton ran for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns on 172 carries last year, adding 375 yards and five touchdowns through the air, his second 1,000-yard season.
Allen ran for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns on 220 carries, adding two touchdowns through the air. They’re both looking to smash the four-digit mark again in 2025.
Penn State addressed its receiving issues by adding Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross, and Trebor Pena in the transfer portal.
Hudson racked up 38 receptions for 462 yards and three touchdowns last year for USC, Ross had 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns on 76 receptions at Troy, and Pena hauled in 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine touchdowns at Syracuse last year.
KEEP READING: Jim Knowles Reveals Why Coaching Penn State Was More Than Just a Job—It Was a Lifelong Dream Fulfilled
Paired with a strong defense, led by one of the nation’s best edge rushers in Dani Dennis-Sutton, the Nittany Lions will be a tough test for every opponent on their schedule. We’ll see what they’re made of early on, when Oregon heads to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 27.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
