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Penn State Debuts at No. 3 in Preseason Coaches Poll

2025-08-04T14:49:09-04:00

Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

You know the season is close when the polls start coming out.

BREAKING: College Football Preseason Coaches Poll https://t.co/UOHDaVDFxk pic.twitter.com/ouboz88vXu
— On3 (@On3sports) August 4, 2025

Penn State will begin the season as a top 5 team, as the Coaches Poll has released its preseason rankings. The Nittany Lions come in at No. 3, their highest preseason ranking since <year>, when they started the season ranked <rank>.

Expectations for this squad are well known inside the Lasch building as much as out, and the veteran team is not deterred. Franklin’s has been quite consistent on his “nobody gives a **** about preseason rankings” message, so don’t expect this ranking to serve as a distraction to the team.

Five other Big Ten programs appearing in the preseason poll are Ohio State, sitting a spot ahead of the Lions as defending national champions, Oregon, who comes in at No. 7, Illinois, who, at No. 12, is in great position to become this year’s Indiana. Michigan (14) and the aforementioned Hoosiers (19) round out the Big Ten teams in Coaches Poll.

Penn State kicks off the 2025 season on August 30 against Nevada!

Penn State’s Top 10 Players for 2025: No. 8 Vega Ioane

2025-08-04T08:43:00-04:00

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

#beef

The BSD staff recently voted for the top 10 Penn State players heading into 2025. The votes are dictated by how the players are expected to perform in the upcoming season, without factoring in long-term or NFL potential. Each member submitted a ballot with players ranked 1-10, with a first-place vote being 10 points, a second-place vote being nine points, and so on. Today, we take a look at Vega Ioane, who came in at No. 8 as he enters his fourth season with the Nittany Lions.

HOW HE GOT HERE

A one-time Washington commit, Vega Ioane made his way to Penn State in part of because of then newly hired special teams coordinator Stacy Collins. Ioane and Collins already had a relationship from when Collins was at Boise State, so when Ioane opened his commitment after the firing of Washington head coach Jimmy Lake, Ioane made a visit to Happy Valley and the rest is history.

Ioane redshirted his freshman season at Penn State, but did get playing time in four games. He parlayed his strong redshirt campaign by making his way into a partial starting role in 2023, starting five games but playing in all 13. It was last season that Ioane really broke out though, starting every game at left guard and earning second-team All-B1G honors from both the coaches and media. Not to mention, making some viral pancakes as a motion man in Andy Kotelnicki’s whacky offense.

VEGA IOANE KILLED A MAN FROM THE SLOT WR POSITION pic.twitter.com/XVmIlVW1d9
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) October 5, 2024

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025

Ioane proved last year that one of football’s oldest rules holds up: you want to have really big dudes on the offensive line. Of course, there is much more to offensive line play than just being big and strong, but Ioane has a combination of size and brute strength that few offensive linemen in the country have.

For Ioane, the next step is being more of a fluid mover and not just a beefy 350-pound offensive lineman. Fortunately, it appears as though Ioane has trimmed down this offseason, sacrificing *some* of his size in order to become a better mover. Ioane was listed at 348 pounds last football, but he’s now down to 330 pounds according to Penn State’s website. Plus, Nick Dawkins and Landon Tengwall recently made mention of a more trimmed Ioane.

Getting chills talking about Vega Ioane and the Penn State OL in 2025 pic.twitter.com/vtCc8tIKBa
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) August 1, 2025

The floor for Ioane should be what he’s been for the vast majority of his Penn State career: a good, quality starting offensive lineman for a top-tier program. But the heights of being a first-team All-B1G guy is there, and perhaps, even someone who could sneak into the All-American conversations.

Only Saquon Barkley Until Penn State Football

2025-08-04T08:03:00-04:00

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

26 Days!

In 26 days, Penn State will open its football season against Nevada.

The Nittany Lions can only hope to have a year as good as its best ever to wear No. 26 had last season.

Saquon Barkley, one of Penn State’s greatest legends, is coming off a season that saw him rush for more than 2,000 yards, challenge one of the NFL’s all-time records, and win a Super Bowl in his first season back with his home-state Philadelphia Eagles.

Barkley’s successes in Happy Valley are well known. He emerged as a freshman to be a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable 2015 season. He had electrifying and clutch moments as a sophomore as Penn State won the Big Ten title and played in the Rose Bowl. Then, in his final year with the Nittany Lions, he provided wow moment after wow moment as Penn State capped another 11-win season.

In the NFL, Barkley had initial success for the Giants before injuries and...well...playing for the Giants seemed to stall his career. But with the Eagles and behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, Barkley was outstanding in 2024 as he ran for 2,005 yards, despite sitting out the season finale.

Saquon was equally as sharp in the playoffs. In four games, he accumulated nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns as the Eagles won the Super Bowl.

Penn State will have a pair of Cams wearing No. 26 in 2025. Cam Wallace will look to bounce back from injury and earn some carries at running back, while Cam Smith is a freshman linebacker from St. Joseph’s Prep.

Only Penn State’s Points vs. Georgia in 1983 Sugar Bowl Until Penn State Football

2025-08-03T08:03:00-04:00

Set Number: X27851 TK2 F13

27 Days!

In 27 days, Penn State will be at home against Nevada to open up the 2025 football season.

It’s a season that many believe could see Penn State in the hunt for a national title with a veteran quarterback and talent all over the field.

It was a similar feeling back in 1982 as Penn State opened the year in the Top 10 and ultimately saw the Lions go 10-1 against a tough schedule. Joe Paterno’s group was 4-1 against ranked teams, including wins against Top 5 Nebraska and Pittsburgh.

Ranked No. 2 after the regular season, Penn State earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl opposite No. 1 Georgia. It was a chance at redemption for the Lions, who had a lost a narrow Sugar Bowl back in January 1979 against Alabama that cost Penn State its first national title.

Against the Bulldogs, Penn State and Paterno would get their long awaited championship. The Lions’ defense was dominant early and Penn State’s offense drove the field for a few scores in building a 20-3 lead late in the first half.

Penn State scored just once in the second half, but it was one of the most legendary touchdowns in program history. Leading 20-17, Todd Blackledge hit Gregg Garrity streaking down the sideline to once again give the Lions a two-score lead.

Georgia scored again late to cut it to 27-23, but Penn State did enough to grind out the clock and won on a walkoff punt. Paterno was carried off the field and Penn State had the first of its two claimed national titles.

Redshirt sophomore Lamont Payne Jr. will be wearing No. 27 for the Lions when they take the field on Aug. 30 against Nevada.

Only Zane Durant Until Penn State Football

2025-08-02T08:03:00-04:00

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

28 Days!

When Penn State takes to the field in 28 days against Nevada, Zane Durant will be starting at defensive tackle and looking to build upon his already spectacular career wearing the blue and white.

Since arriving in Happy Valley in 2022, Durant has appeared in every game and has started all but two over the past two seasons. His return for his senior season is a big reason that Penn State enters the 2025 season with great expectations for its defense.

The Lions’ defensive front loses some star power from last season, most notably All-American Abdul Carter. But, Durant, an all-conference selection last year, has been generating plenty of preseason award buzz.

In 2024, Durant finished with 42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and three sacks. More than that, his disruptive style will fit well with new coordinator Jim Knowles.

Reserve safety Karson Kiesewetter will also be wearing No. 28 for Penn State this season, which starts on Aug. 30 at home against Nevada.

Penn State Basketball to Face Pitt in Netural-Site Game

2025-08-01T16:21:18-04:00

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

The Nittany Lions and Panthers will meet for the first time in eight years.

We now have another non-conference game confirmed for the upcoming college basketball season, as it was officially announced yesterday that Penn State and Pitt will face each other at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA on Sunday, December 21st. Tip-off time and broadcasting channel(s) will be announced at a later date.

The Panthers are coming off a 17-15 overall, and 8-12 conference record last season, as head coach Jeff Capel enters his eighth season in Pittsburgh. The last time Penn State and Pitt faced each other on the hardwood was back in 2017, when the Nittany Lions waxed the Panthers 85-54, en route to a a historically awful season for the Panthers in which they went winless in ACC play, leading to then-head coach Kevin Stallings being fired after just two seasons and the hiring of Capel.

This December will mark the 149th meeting between the two programs, with Penn State sporting a 76-72 all-time series record.

Penn State’s Top 10 Players For 2025: No. 9 Tony Rojas

2025-08-01T10:14:00-04:00

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The linebacker is poised for a breakout season in Jim Knowles’ defense.

How he got here

Tony Rojas was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was the No. 3 prospect in the state of Virginia, according to 247Sports. He went to Fairfax High School and was recruited as a linebacker despite playing defensive end and running back extensively. He played soccer growing up and also excelled as a basketball player in high school. In short, he’s an athlete.

Rojas played through a shoulder injury (which was “fixed” in the offseason, holding him out of spring ball) in 2024 after a stellar true freshman season in 2023. Still, he had a very productive season, claiming a starting role on the defense and finishing the year with three interceptions, six TFLs, and a sack. He was an honorable mention on the All-Big Ten team.

What to expect in 2025

Should Rojas recover well and remain healthy throughout 2025, he will absolutely be a breakout candidate on the defense. He’ll be taking on a different role in Jim Knowles’ 4-2-5 scheme, but I expect him to get more snaps than any other linebacker on the roster. The athleticism and talent are there, and he flashed all over the place last year, but he needs to put it all together amid a spell of good health. I would expect this to happen next year.

Only Trace McSorley’s Season Record Touchdown Passes Until Penn State Football

2025-08-01T08:03:00-04:00

Set Number: SI646 TK1

29 days!

In 29 days, Penn State will be on its home field to take on Nevada in the season opener.

Former Nittany Lion quarterback Trace McSorley will be on the sideline in his first year as part of Penn State’s expanded coaching staff.

McSorley will be helping out with Drew Allar, who will enter this 2025 season with a real shot at breaking McSorley’s single-season touchdown pass record of 29, which happened in Penn State’s last Big Ten title season of 2016.

Trace came up one touchdown short of his own record in 2017, throwing for 28 scores as Penn State went 11-2 and won the Fiesta Bowl. Allar will be in his third year as a starter and his previous two seasons have seen him approach McSorley’s record.

Last season, Allar passed for 24 touchdowns as Penn State reached the College Football Playoff Semifinal, while he had 23 touchdown throws back in 2023 in his first year as a starter.

Freshman Daniel Jennings, who reclassified over the summer to enroll at Penn State a year early, will be wearing No. 29 for the Nittany Lions this season. That season starts in 29 days against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.