Penn State gets massive vote of confidence in early CFB rankings

The Penn State Nittany Lions are expected to be very good next season. Could they be the best team in college football, though?

In theory, that title should remain with Ohio State, the reigning national champions, until proven otherwise, but it can’t be denied that the Nittany Lions are looking extremely strong.

They’re an experienced team where it matters, and it matters most at quarterback. Drew Allar is coming back for his senior season after starting all 16 games for the Nittany Lions while throwing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. 

He’s got a tremendous “two-headed” monster behind him in running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, so PSU’s offense could end up being extremely dangerous.

That seems to be the main reason ESPN’s Mark Schlabach ranks the Nittany Lions as the No. 1 team in the nation in his post-spring way-too-early Top 25.

“After finally turning the corner under coach James Franklin in 2024, the Nittany Lions look loaded for bear this coming season,” Schlabach wrote. “With Allar, Allen and Singleton returning, Penn State should have one of the most balanced offenses in the FBS, especially if Allar takes the next step as a downfield passer.”

The Nittany Lions also brought in two big transfer portal wideouts in Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and Devonte Ross (Troy). Pena caught 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns last season, while Ross caught 76 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lastly, wideout Kyron Hudson transferred in from USC after catching 38 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Trojans.

Simply put, the Nittany Lions are loaded on offense.

“Adding Pena, Ross and Hudson was critical; Penn State’s receivers didn’t have a reception in a 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in a CFP semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl,” Schlabach wrote.

The big criticism of head coach James Franklin has been that he hasn’t been able to win big games, but he took Penn State to the CFP semifinal last season after beating SMU and Boise State.

Can Franklin’s team take the next step to win the CFP? It’s worth noting that Schlabach and ESPN certainly think it’s possible, or else the Nittany Lions wouldn’t be this high in these rankings.