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Week 11: Penn State Nittany Lions
Date & Time: November 8 @ TBA
Venue: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
TV: TBA
Nittany Lions at a Glance
Head Coach: James Franklin (Entering his 12th year with Penn State)
Record at Penn State: 101-42 (64-33)
Overall Record: 125-57
Last Season: 13-3 (8-1), 2nd in Big Ten
Nittany Lions Returning Leaders
Passing: Drew Allar – 3,327 Yards (66.5%), 24 TDs, 8 Interceptions
Rushing: Kaytron Allen – 1,108 Yards on 220 Carries (5.0 AVG) and 8 TDs
Receiving: Nick Singleton (RB) – 41 Receptions for 375 yards and 5 TDs
Tackles: Zakee Wheatley (FS) – 96 Tackles (58 Solo), 3 Interceptions, 2.5 TFL
Nittany Lions Preseason Predictions
Athlon: 1st in Big Ten
Lindy’s: 2nd Nationally
Phil Steele: 1st Nationally
SP+: 3rd Nationally
Impact Newcomers for the Nittany Lions
- Devonte Ross, WR, Transfer from Troy
- Amare Campbell, LB, Transfer from North Carolina
- Trebor Pena, WR, Transfer from Syracuse
- Kyron Hudson, WR, Transfer from USC
Biggest Questions Facing the Nittany Lions
- Can Penn State keep up its elite edge production?
- Can this season’s offense be as effective as last season’s without Tyler Warren?
- Can defensive coordinator Jim Knowles replicate his success at Ohio State in his first year with Penn State?
Program Preview
Penn State enters 2025 riding the momentum of yet another 10-win campaign — their third straight and sixth such season under head coach James Franklin. Since taking over in 2014, Franklin has built the Nittany Lions into a model of consistency in the Big Ten, suffering just one losing season (the COVID-shortened 2020 slate) while regularly competing on the national stage. Last year was no exception: Penn State reached the Big Ten Championship Game for the second time under Franklin and earned a trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they narrowly fell to Notre Dame in a 27-24 thriller.
Offensively, the Nittany Lions took a major leap forward in 2024. After a stagnant and conservative approach in 2023, new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki transformed the unit into one of the most efficient in the conference. The results speak for themselves: 6,883 total yards and 65 touchdowns, a massive jump from 5,202 yards and 56 scores the year prior. Kotelnicki’s system unlocked the full potential of players like tight end Tyler Warren, who became a matchup nightmare and red-zone weapon. The creativity and rhythm in play-calling gave Penn State the firepower they’d lacked the season before.
Defensively, the Nittany Lions continued to flex their identity as one of the nation’s most physical and disruptive units. They didn’t just live up to expectations — they surpassed them. With edge rusher Abdul Carter anchoring a ferocious front, Penn State once again made life miserable for opposing offenses. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if they’re growing elite pass-rushers in a lab within Happy Valley.
Now in 2025, change is in the air. Defensive guru Jim Knowles steps in as the new coordinator, bringing his own philosophy and a fresh schematic wrinkle to an already loaded roster. On both sides of the ball, questions remain — from how the receiver room will gel to whether the defense can maintain its dominance under new leadership. But despite those uncertainties, Penn State enters the season as a near-consensus top-three team in the Big Ten, backed by a roster loaded with talent, depth, and championship ambition.
Offensive Preview
Penn State’s offense is packed with potential in 2025 — but it’s also undergoing a major facelift. The Nittany Lions lost their top three receiving threats from last season: tight end Tyler Warren (drafted by the Colts), wideout Harrison Wallace III (transferred to Ole Miss), and Omari Evans (transferred to Washington). Warren was far and away Drew Allar’s favorite target, hauling in a staggering 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and 8 touchdowns. Wallace added 720 yards on 46 grabs, while Evans chipped in 415 yards on 21 catches. That trio combined for nearly 2,400 receiving yards — leaving a massive void in the passing game.
To reload, Penn State turned to the transfer portal and landed three potential difference-makers: Devonte Ross (Troy), Trebor Pena (Syracuse), and Kyron Hudson (USC). Ross is the headliner — he was First Team All-Sun Belt last season after leading the conference in both receiving yards (1,043) and touchdowns (11) on 76 catches. With his elite speed and vertical burst, he brings the downfield threat Penn State lacked last year.
Pena isn’t far behind — the Syracuse transfer caught 84 passes for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2024. He’s a savvy route technician who knows how to create separation and can be dangerous on underneath routes. Hudson brings a different element — at 6’1″, he adds size and dependable hands to a receiver room that suddenly looks like a high-upside unit.
Of course, bringing in new faces means chemistry questions — how quickly will they adjust to Andy Kotelnicki’s system and build a connection with quarterback Drew Allar? Fortunately for Penn State, the offense returns its core pillars elsewhere, making the adjustment process smoother. Most notably, all five starters from the offensive line return, giving the offense valuable cohesion and protection in the trenches. And alongside them comes Allar, plus the elite running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.
Allar, entering his third year as the full-time starter, checks every box physically: 6’5”, big arm, and dual-threat mobility (6 rushing TDs last season). He’s led Penn State to a 23–6 record as a starter, and his year-over-year growth is evident — he threw for over 3,300 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2024. Still, questions linger about his consistency in big moments.
In key games last year — including the CFP loss to Notre Dame — Allar struggled to connect with wideouts downfield. With an entirely new receiving corps, will he develop that crucial chemistry quickly, or could early growing pains set the offense back?
One area that leaves little room for doubt is the ground game. With the entire offensive line back and both backs entering their fourth seasons, the run game figures to be the heartbeat of the offense. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are one of the most battle-tested tandems in college football. Singleton has amassed 2,912 rushing yards, 768 receiving yards, and 40 total touchdowns since 2022, while Allen is right behind him with 2,877 rushing yards and 28 scores. Their power-speed blend makes them a nightmare for defenses, and they’ll likely be the focal point early in the year while the passing game settles in.
For Indiana, the key to this matchup will be stopping the run. The Hoosiers had a top-tier run defense in 2024, and if they can replicate that same dominance in the trenches, it could put the pressure on Allar to beat them through the air — something that’s still a question mark heading into Week 11.
Defensive Preview
Penn State enters the 2025 season with a new defensive shot-caller — and a big reputation to uphold. Jim Knowles, the former architect of Ohio State’s ferocious 2024 national championship defense, now takes over as Penn State’s fourth defensive coordinator since 2021. Known for his aggressive, blitz-heavy system and creative disguises, Knowles brings a completely different flavor than his predecessor, Tom Allen, who left to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson.
While Allen’s defense thrived on discipline and limiting explosive plays, Knowles is bringing a disruptive, chaos-first mentality to Happy Valley. His defenses don’t sit back — they attack. From confusing offensive lines with pre-snap disguises to forcing quarterbacks into panic throws, Knowles thrives on creating havoc. With the kind of talent Penn State has on its defensive roster, this could be the perfect storm. The only catch? How quickly will players adapt to the new system?
One of the biggest questions surrounding this defense is whether it can replicate its edge-rushing dominance from 2024. Abdul Carter, a do-it-all menace who led the team with 12 sacks and 68 tackles, was drafted by the New York Giants — and leaves behind a sizable hole. But don’t expect the pass rush to fade. Dani Dennis-Sutton, who notched 8.5 sacks and 42 tackles last year, returns as the next star off the Penn State pass-rusher assembly line.
Alongside him is rising interior force Zane Durant, who tallied 42 tackles and 14 tackles for loss in a breakout 2024 campaign. To fortify the defensive line depth, the Nittany Lions added two high-upside transfers: Enai White (Texas A&M) and Owen Wafle (Michigan). Both bring youth and raw talent that should keep the front seven fresh and dangerous throughout the season.
At linebacker, PSU returns two key playmakers: Tony Rojas, who led all returning linebackers with 58 tackles, and Dom DeLuca, a former walk-on turned team captain. DeLuca was a postseason hero, grabbing two interceptions in the playoffs against SMU. With Kobe King off to the NFL, the Lions filled the middle linebacker spot with a splash transfer: Amare Campbell, who recorded 76 tackles and 6.5 sacks at UNC last season. His physical presence and downhill style make him an ideal fit in Knowles’ aggressive front.
Despite losing their top two tacklers — safety Jaylen Reed (98 tackles) and linebacker Kobe King (97 tackles) — the defense remains stacked, especially in the secondary. The heart of the back end is veteran safety Zakee Wheatley, who finished third on the team with 96 tackles and was named Fiesta Bowl MVP. He’s the emotional and vocal leader of the defense. At corner, A.J. Harris returns as a first-team All-Big Ten selection and is widely considered one of the best cover corners in the nation.
The rest of the secondary is still being sorted out. Elliot Washington II and Audavion Collins are locked in a battle for the second starting cornerback spot, while DeJuan Lane and King Mack are competing to start alongside Wheatley at safety. Regardless of who wins those battles, the depth and athleticism in the secondary are among the best in the conference.
This Penn State defense is held together by a fearsome front seven and a star-laden defensive backfield. It’s no surprise the unit is the reason many analysts have the Nittany Lions as a top-three Big Ten contender heading into the season. They have the pieces to wreck game plans — especially with Knowles dialing up pressure from all angles.
For Indiana, head coach Curt Cignetti will have to scheme carefully when his Hoosiers head to Happy Valley in Week 11. Penn State’s pass rush has the potential to control the game — but Indiana’s experienced offensive line could be up for the test. The real challenge will be moving the ball through the air against a defense loaded with elite coverage talent. If the Hoosiers want to pull off an upset, they’ll have to outsmart the blitzes and win the chess match against one of the most aggressive defenses they’ll face all year.
Special Teams Preview
While Penn State shines in most phases of the game, special teams remains more of a supporting actor than a headline act. In 2024, the Nittany Lions landed around middle of the pack nationally in special teams rankings. They weren’t a liability — but they also weren’t lighting up the field with game-changing plays.
The good news? They were steady in punting and kickoff coverage, minimizing mistakes and flipping the field when needed. But if you’re looking for fireworks in the return game, this unit lacked that spark. Nick Singleton returns as the primary punt returner, and while he showed flashes — 14 returns for 331 yards, including a 66-yard burst — he didn’t find the end zone. In the kickoff return game, new arrival Devonte Ross, the speedster from Troy, is expected to take over. He has legit breakaway speed and could be a hidden weapon in this role if he finds daylight.
Punter Riley Thompson brings back a steady leg after averaging 42.8 yards per punt on 51 attempts last season — good for 17th-best nationally. His directional punting and consistency helped PSU win the field position battle more often than not.
However, the real storyline on special teams last year was at placekicker, where early instability cost Penn State valuable points. The Lions opened 2024 with Sander Sahaydak, but after an underwhelming 4-for-7 start on field goals, he was replaced midseason. That’s when Ryan Barker, a redshirt freshman, stepped in and immediately settled the position. Barker went 15-of-18 on field goals — including 4-for-4 from beyond 40 yards — and was a perfect 18-for-18 on PATs. His confidence was on full display in Penn State’s dramatic game-winner against USC, and now heading into 2025, the kicking game no longer feels like a weak link.
With Barker’s accuracy, Thompson’s reliability, and the potential spark from Ross in the return game, Penn State’s special teams are quietly trending upward. They’re not a highlight-reel unit yet, but they’re much more stable than they were a year ago. And in a tight Big Ten race, that kind of stability could prove to be the difference in key moments.
2025 FIRST GLANCE PREVIEWS
Week One: Old Dominion
Week Two: Kennesaw State
Week Three: Indiana State
Week Four: Illinois Fighting Illini
Week Five: Iowa Hawkeyes
Week Seven: Oregon Ducks
Week Eight: Michigan State Spartans
Week Nine: UCLA Bruins
Week Ten: Marryland Terrapins