(Photo Credit: Lions247)
Key Players Returning:
QB Drew Allar, RB Kaytron Allen, RB/KR Nicholas Singleton, OC Nick Dawkins, OG Olaivavega Ioane, OT Nolan Rucci, OT Drew Shelton, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, DT Alonzo Ford Jr., DT Zane Durant, LB Dominic DeLuca, LB Tony Rojas, CB AJ Harris, CB Elliot Washington II, NB/PR Zion Tracy, FS Zakee Wheatley, PR Ryan Barker, and PT Riley Thompson.
Key Players Departing:
WR Omari Evans, WR Harrison Wallace III, TE Tyler Warren, OG Sal Wormley, DE Abdul Carter, DE Amin Vanover, DE Smith Vilbert, DT Dvon Ellies, DT Coziah Izzard, LB Kobe King, CB Jalen Kimber, NB Cam Miller, and SS Jaylen Reed.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: OL Malachi Goodman (Paramus, New Jersey).
4 Star Recruits: TE Andrew Olesh (Center Valley, Pennsylvania), CB Daryus Dixson (Santa Ana, California), LB LaVar Arrington Jr. (Covina, California), DE Yvan Kemajou (Burtonsville, Maryland), WR Matt Outten (Portsmouth, Virginia), TE Jeff Exinor Jr. (Owings Mills, Maryland), LB Amare Campbell (North Carolina transfer), WR Trebor Pena (Syracuse transfer), and OT Owen Aliciene (Avon, Connecticut).
2024 Results:
G01 @ West Virginia W 34-12
G02 BOWLING GREEN W 34-27
G03 KENT STATE W 56-0
G04 #19 ILLINOIS W 21-7
G05 UCLA W 27-11
G06 @ USC W/OT 33-30
G07 @ Wisconsin W 28-13
G08 #4 OHIO STATE L 13-20
G09 WASHINGTON W 35-6
G10 @ Purdue W 49-10
G11 @ Minnesota W 26-25
G12 MARYLAND W 44-7
B10 vs. #1 Oregon L 37-45
CFP #11 SMU W 38-10
CFP vs. #3 Boise State W 31-14
CFP vs. #7 Notre Dame L 24-27
Team Info:
2024 Record: 13-3 (2nd in Big Ten)
Home: 7-1
Away: 5-0
Neutral: 1-2
B10: 8-1
Non-B10: 5-1
Head Coach: James Franklin
Penn State: 101-42
Bowls: 8-7
Career: 125-57
(Photo Credit: Lions247)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Drew Allar (262-394, 3327 yards, 66.5%, 8.6 avg., 24 TD, 7 TD)
Rushing: Kaytron Allen (201 car., 1026 yards, 5.1 avg., 8 TD)
Receiving: Nicholas Singleton (41 rec., 375 yards, 9.1 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Nicholas Singleton (17)
Sacks: Dani Davis-Sutton (8.5)
Tackles: Zakee Wheatley (96)
Tackles For Loss: Dani Dennis-Sutton (13)
Interceptions: Dominic Deluca/Tony Rojas/Zakee Wheatley (3)
Pass Deflections: Elliot Washington II (6)
Forced Fumbles: Dani Dennis-Sutton (2)
Kick Returns: Nicholas Singleton (14 ret., 331 yards, 23.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Zion Tracy (15 ret., 87 yards, 5.8 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Ryan Barker (15-18 fg/fga., 83%, 48-49 xp/xpa., 93 pts.)
Punting: Riley Thompson (51 punts, 2183 yards, 42.8 avg., 17 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 15 Drew Allar (SR)
RB: 10 Nicholas Singleton (SR)
WR: 11 Kyron Hudson (RS SR/TR)
WR: 5 Devonte Ross (SR/TR)
WR: 4 Tyseer Denmark (RS FR)
TE: 85 Luke Reynolds (SO)
LT: 66 Drew Shelton (SR)
LG: 71 Olaivavega Ioane (RS JR)
OC: 53 Nick Dawkins (RS SR)
RG: 50 Cooper Cousins (SO)
RT: 72 Nolan Rucci (RS SR/TR)
KR: 10 Nicholas Singleton (SR)
PK: 94 Ryan Barker (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 33 Dani Dennis-Sutton (SR)
DT: 58 Kaleb Artis (RS JR)
DT: 28 Zane Durant (SR)
DE: 36 Zuriah Fisher (RS SR)
LB: 13 Tony Rojas (JR)
LB: 0 Dominic DeLuca (RS SR)
NB: 7 Zion Tracy (JR)
CB: 9 Elliot Washington II (JR)
CB: 4 AJ Harris (JR/TR)
FS: 6 Zakee Wheatley (RS SR)
SS: 10 Dejuan Lane (SO)
PR: 7 Zion Tracy (JR)
PT: 95 Riley Thomson (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 NEVADA WOLF PACK | First meeting.
09/06 FIU PANTHERS | Penn State won (59-0) the only prior meeting in 2007.
09/13 VILLANOVA WILDCATS | Penn State won (38-17) the only prior meeting in 2021.
09/27 OREGON DUCKS | Penn State leads the series 3-2. The Nittany Lions lost (37-45) last season’s meeting, and they won (38-20) the prior meeting in 1994.
10/04 @ UCLA Bruins | Penn State trails the series 3-4. The Nittany Lions won (27-11) last season’s meeting, and they won (21-6) the prior meeting in 1968.
10/11 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | Penn State leads the series 16-5. The Nittany Lions are 3-1 since 2015, and they won (41-13) the last meeting in 2023.
10/18 @ Iowa Hawkeyes | Penn State leads the series 18-14. The Nittany Lions are 5-2 since restarting the series in 2016, and they won (31-0) the last meeting in 2023.
11/01 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Penn State trails the series 14-25. The Nittany Lions are 1-9 since 2015, and their last series win (24-21) was in 2016.
11/08 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Penn State leads the series 25-2. The Nittany Lions are 8-1 since 2015, and they won (33-24) the last meeting in 2023.
11/16 @ Michigan State Spartans | Penn State leads the series 19-18-1. The Nittany Lions are 5-4 since 2015, and they won (42-0) the last meeting in 2023.
11/22 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | Penn State trails the series 8-10. The Nittany Lions lost (23-30) the last meeting in 2020, and they won (56-44) the prior meeting in 2017.
11/29 @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Penn State leads the series 32-2. The Nittany Lions are 9-0 since 2015, and their last series loss (16-21) was in 1988.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 4-1
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 8-1
Non-B10: 4-0
Overall: 12-1 (2nd in B10/B10 Champions – Playoff 3rd seed – Eliminated in National Championship)
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