“I’m not gonna frame the preseason rankings and put it in my basement in the man cave. Nobody cares. No one cares,” said James Franklin. After making it to the College Football Playoff Semifinal last season, Penn State is once again feeling like a serious contender for the national championship. The excitement around the Nittany Lions is increasing due to a strong core of returning players, which includes QB Drew Allar, dynamic running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and outstanding defenders Tony Rojas and Zakee Wheatley.

Fans are expecting that this season will mark the end of their lengthy wait for a championship. Besides game preparations for the season opener against Nevada, Penn State is going through a longer-than-usual recovery list. James Franklin wasn’t sugarcoating it when he acknowledged that the squad has seen a number of postseason surgeries and chronic injuries. “The injury list is not great,” he said.

On the August 3 episode of CBS Sports College Football, James Franklin discussed how the 2025 season is shaping up for the Lions. In that discussion, the head coach also addressed the weight of expectations that surround his job. Especially considering how his record against the top 10 teams is brought up every time Penn State loses a game.

“If you view it as pressure, then you probably shouldn’t be the head football coach. No different if you view being the quarterback at Penn State as pressure, then you probably shouldn’t be the quarterback, right? It’s just it comes with the territory.” The inclusion of the quarterback position is an interesting choice, but we understand what Franklin is hinting at. You can’t excel at the QB position if you can’t handle the pressure that comes with it.

“You decided to go play at Penn State, that’s what comes with it. So, we embrace the expectations,” James Franklin added. Throwing for 2,668 yards, 18 touchdowns, and just five picks during the regular season, Allar had a strong 2024 season. He helped the Nittany Lions effortlessly sail through the challenges of Boise State and SMU. But things didn’t go according to plan when it mattered most, against Notre Dame in the semifinal.

Penn State’s hopes of winning the championship were dashed when Allar threw one of his worst passes of the season with just 38 seconds remaining in a tied game, setting up the Fighting Irish for a game-winning field goal. “We want to make sure that our behaviors and our habits align with where we want to be at the end of the season,” said James Franklin. This mindset is important since they are aiming for another College Football Playoff run. The 2024 season ended with Penn State’s greatest record in years, with a 13–3 overall.

Rosters, transfers, and Beaver Stadium energy fuel Penn State’s 2025 hopes

Heading towards 2025, James Franklin isn’t shy to express his feelings. “I think when you look at all of our personnel, not just our players, but staff and players, it’s our best combination we’ve had in my 12 years here.” he admitted. Also, even though coaches frequently exaggerate their teams, this time it seems justified. The squad still appears well-balanced on both sides of the ball, despite the loss of notable players like Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter to the NFL Draft.

In the transfer portal, Penn State made several wise choices, particularly at wide receiver, a position that has been under fire recently. Trebor Peña, Devonte Ross, and Kyron Hudson, who are recent additions, have the potential to change that trajectory and provide Drew Allar with the consistent targets he has been missing. “Drew having more people around him making plays for him will be really valuable. I think the biggest thing is they are veterans that have already produced in college football,” said Franklin. Ross had over 1,000 yards at Troy, Peña was named to the All-ACC second team at Syracuse, and Hudson, the USC captain, made what Franklin referred to as “one of the catches of the year” against LSU.

A sneak peek at Beaver Stadium’s renovations with new broadcast setups and temporary bleachers is already being put up as kickoff approaches. Franklin acknowledged that this year’s venue will have a somewhat different appearance, but the vibe? That remains unchanged. “We know this place is going to be rocking like it is every single year,” he remarked. “I walked into the stadium, and from the inside of the stadium looking up, it’s really impressive what they’ve been able to do with the temporary bleachers.” With an elite roster, key transfers, and an electrifying home crowd, Penn State’s odds for the 2025 season are definitely growing.