(Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Kaytron Allen, RB/KR Nicholas Singleton, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, TE Theo Johnson, OC Hunter Nourzad, OG Sal Wormley, OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, DE Adisa Issac, DE Chop Robinson, LB Abdul Carter, LB Tyler Elsdon, LB Curtis Jacobs, LB Kobe King, CB Johnny Dixon, CB Kalen King, NB Daequan Hardy and FS Keaton Ellis.
Key Players Departing:
QB Sean Clifford, WR Mitchell Tinsley, WR/PR Parker Washington, TE Brenton Strange, OC Juice Scruggs, OT Bryce Effner, DE Nick Tarburton, DT P.J. Mustipher, CB Joey Porter Jr., FS Ji’Ayir Brown, SS Jonathan Sutherland, PK Jake Pinegar and PT Barney Amor.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT J’ven Williams (Reading, Pennsylvania), OG Alex Birchmeier (Ashburn, Virginia), LB Tony Rojas (Fairfax, Virginia), DS King Mack (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), TE Andrew Rappleyea (Milton, Massachusetts), DS DaKaari Nelson (Selma, Alabama), DS Elliot Washington (Venice, Florida), WR Dante Cephas (Kent State transfer), EDGE Jameial Lyons (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and OT Chimdy Onoh (Dundalk, Maryland).
2022 Results:
G01 @ Purdue W 35-31
G02 OHIO W 46-19
G03 @ Auburn W 41-12
G04 CENTRAL MICHIGAN W 33-14
G05 NORTHWESTERN W 17-7
G06 @ #5 Michigan L 17-41
G07 MINNESOTA W 45-17
G08 #2 OHIO STATE L 31-44
G09 @ Indiana W 45-14
G10 MARYLAND W 30-0
G11 @ Rutgers W 55-10
G12 MICHIGAN STATE W 35-16
BOWL vs. #8 Utah W 35-21
Team Info:
2022 Record: 11-2 (3rd in Big Ten East)
Home: 6-1
Away: 4-1
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 4-0
Head Coach: James Franklin
Penn State: 78-36
Career: 102-51
Bowls: 6-5
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Drew Allar (35-60, 344 yards, 58.3%, 5.7 avg., 4 TD, 0 TD)
Rushing: Nicholas Singleton (156 car., 1061 yards, 6.8 avg., 12 TD)
Receiving: Brenton Strange (32 rec., 362 yards, 11.3 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Nicholas Singleton (14)
Sacks: Abdul Carter (6.5)
Tackles: Abdul Carter (56)
Tackles For Loss: Adisa Isaac (11)
Interceptions: Kalen King (3)
Pass Deflections: Kalen King (16)
Forced Fumbles: Abdul Carter (2)
Kick Returns: Nicholas Singleton (14 ret., 349 yards, 24.9 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Sander Sahaydak (1-2 fg/fga., 50%, 1-2 xp/xpa., 4 pts.)
Punting: Alex Bacchetta (4 ret., 160 yards, 40.0 avg., 2 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 15 Drew Allar (SO)
RB: 10 Nicholas Singleton (SO)
WR: 6 Harrison Wallace III (RS SO)
WR: 1 KeAndre Lambert-Smith (SR)
WR: 2 Liam Clifford (RS SO)
TE: 84 Theo Johnson (JR)
LT: 74 Olumuyiwa Fashanu (RS JR)
LG: 58 Landon Tengwall (RS SO)
OC: 64 Hunter Nourzad (RS SR/TR)
RG: 77 Sal Wormley (RS SR)
RT: 73 Caedan Wallace (RS SR)
KR: 10 Nicholas Singleton (SO)
PK: 91 Alex Felkins (SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 44 Chop Robinson (JR/TR)
DT: 51 Hakeem Beamon (RS SR)
DT: 91 Dvon Ellies (RS SR)
DE: 20 Adisa Isaac (RS SR)
LB: 11 Abdul Carter (SO)
LB: 41 Kobe King (RS SO)
LB: 23 Curtis Jacobs (JR)
CB: 4 Kalen King (JR)
CB: 3 Johnny Dixon (SR/TR)
FS: 21 Kevin Winston Jr. (SO)
SS: 2 Keaton Ellis (SR)
PR: 25 Daequan Hardy (RS SR)
PT: 95 Riley Thompson (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: A
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS | Penn State leads the series 48-9-2. The Nittany Lions won (40-26) the last meeting between schools in 1992.
09/09 DELAWARE BLUE HENS | First meeting between schools.
09/16 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Penn State leads the series 20-6. The Nittany Lions lost (18-20 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/23 IOWA HAWKEYES | Penn State leads the series 17-14. The Nittany Lions lost (20-23) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/30 @ Northwestern Wildcats | Penn State leads the series 15-5. The Nittany Lions are 2-2 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (21-23) dates back to 2015.
10/14 UMASS MINUTEMEN | Penn State won (48-7) the only prior meeting between schools in 2014.
10/21 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Penn State trails the series 14-24. The Nittany Lions are 1-9 since 2013 and their last series win (24-21) was in 2016.
10/28 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Penn State leads the series 24-2. The Nittany Lions are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (35-36 OT) was in 2020.
11/04 @ Maryland Terrapins | Penn State leads the series 42-3-1. The Nittany Lions are 7-2 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (19-35) was in 2020.
11/11 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Penn State trails the series 10-16. The Nittany Lions are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (27-17) was in 2020.
11/18 RUTGERS SCARLET KNGIHTS | Penn State leads the series 31-2. The Nittany Lions are 9-0 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (16-21) dates back to 1988.
11/25 @ Michigan State Spartans | The series is tied 18-18-1. The Nittany Lions are 4-5 since restarting the series in 2014 and their last series loss (27-30) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 5-0
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 8-0
Non-B10: 4-1
Overall: 12-1 (1ST in Big Ten East)
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