Penn State is entering the 2025 campaign with more hype than almost any team in the country. On Wednesday, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin revealed how his team is handling the lofty expectations around the program. “Within our program and within this campus and within this community and within our alumni, that’s always the […]
Penn State is entering the 2025 campaign with more hype than almost any team in the country. On Wednesday, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin revealed how his team is handling the lofty expectations around the program.
“Within our program and within this campus and within this community and within our alumni, that’s always the expectation,” Franklin said. “We finished the game before the national championship game, and maybe a drive before that, and it didn’t feel like it, right?
“People were pissed and disappointed, and most programs around the country would die to have that type of season. So there’s more talk going on nationally. I get that. But, within our program, I don’t really sense a difference.”
Penn State is the No. 2 team in the preseason AP Top 25. It’s the highest preseason ranking for the program since 1997, and the highest since Franklin has been coach.
Penn State’s preseason acclaim is largely due to its returning production. The Nittany Lions are bringing 14 starters from last season, including nine players on offense.
Quarterback Drew Allar headlines the returning group. He tallied 3,327 passing yards and 24 touchdowns compared to just eight interceptions.
Running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are also running it back in Happy Valley this fall. The pair combined for over 2,000 rushing yards last season. While Franklin recognizes there’s more outside noise around his program than normal, he’s not allowing it to change his approach.
“There’s recognition that they’ve earned more conversations nationally,” Franklin said. “If you follow patterns or storylines, in terms of people that have been in the playoffs and then been able to get guys to come back, that’s a storyline that I think a lot of people are running with.
“But, at the end of the day, we got to go out and handle our business. We got to do it one game at a time. But I don’t sense that within our program. I don’t feel that because I feel like that’s always the expectation.”
If a national championship is Penn State’s expectation, the program hasn’t met expectations since 1986. Moreover, the Nittany Lions haven’t won the Big Ten since 2016.
However, this year could bring an end to Penn State’s misfortunes. The Nittany Lions are currently tied with Ohio State for the third-best odds to win the national title, per BetMGM.
On Aug. 30, Penn State will kick off its 2025 campaign with a showdown against Nevada at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on CBS.
Category: General Sports
