Penn State Prepares for High-Stakes 2025 Season with Playoff Ambitions

Penn State football enters the 2025 season with high expectations, fueled by a talented roster and a breakthrough 2024 campaign that brought them to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Head coach James Franklin embraces the pressure, highlighting the team's experience and depth, especially noting quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen as key players. Despite a historically poor record against top-ranked teams and skepticism about Franklin's ability to win big games, the team maintains a focus on blocking out external noise and concentrating on winning the Big Ten and potentially a national championship. Players like safety Zakee Wheatley and center Nick Dawkins echo this sentiment, emphasizing a laser focus on the task at hand rather than hype or pressure. The Nittany Lions will face a critical test on November 1 against Ohio State, a team that has dominated their recent matchups but now faces a stronger Penn State squad. Overall, Penn State aims to capitalize on their progress and silence doubters by making a deep playoff run in 2025.