On Thursday, FanDuel gave the Nittany Lions the fifth-best odds to win the 2025 nationwide championship. The stakes couldn’t be greater for head coach James Franklin and his returning core.
The optimism stems from the Nittany Lions’ sturdy 2024 season, when Penn State completed 13-3. A loss to Notre Dame within the Orange Bowl left them one win shy of a title shot.
Regardless of the heartbreak, Penn State has laid the groundwork for a championship run.
Franklin’s workforce boasts a loaded roster, headlined by quarterback Drew Allar, working backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton and defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Allar, who handed for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns final season, is poised to guide one of many nation’s extra explosive offenses. Allen (1,108 yards) and Singleton (1,099) mixed for two,207 yards dashing and supply stability and dynamism.
Key to this system’s momentum is its skill to retain expertise. The Nittany Lions are returning 13 draft-eligible players. NIL — Identify, Picture and Likeness — has performed a pivotal function.
StateCollege.com’s Seth Engle reported that the college created an assistant athletic director function to handle its $20+ million price range, specializing in technique and analytics. This dedication places Penn State on par with Michigan and Ohio State, whose collectives have big NIL budgets.
Brad Crawford of 247sports.com reported the price range for Penn State’s NIL collective is $13.7 million, based on the latest NCAA membership data. Whereas this trails Michigan and Ohio State — the previous two nationwide champions — it displays the fashionable method to retaining prime expertise.
For the Nittany Lions, the offseason hasn’t been with out challenges. Penn State lost 10 players to the NCAA switch portal, notably their prime two vast receivers (Harrison Wallace III to Ole Miss and Omari Evans to Washington). Plus, defensive coordinator Tom Allen left for Clemson.
Nonetheless, the offensive line stays stable, with true freshman Cooper Cousins and redshirt freshman J’ven Williams ready for expanded roles. Anthony Donkoh, who began 10 video games earlier than a season-ending harm, may even return.
Josh Pate of CBS Sports recently observed, “Penn State’s 2025 workforce will face extra stress than any squad [James] Franklin has had there. It was crucial they carry again a nucleus of men who’ve been via the wars.”
