No. 2 Penn State comes into the 2025 season with its loftiest expectations in decades. Coach James Franklin's squad is one of the top championship favorites (+700, per FanDuel ) entering the season thanks to a stout defense now led by former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and an offense that features two of the nation's top running backs, plus a Heisman frontrunner in quarterback Drew Allar .

With those expectations comes pressure, especially for a program that has yet to produce a real signature win against elite competition. Franklin is famously 1-14 against top five opponents since taking over in Happy Valley, and the questions about the Nittany Lions' ability to win against the nation's elite linger in the background of all that preseason excitement.

Franklin

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