Bold predictions for Penn State football in 2025
The staff of Nittany Lions Wire is taking time this week to share our season predictions for Penn State football with our picks for offensive and defensive MVPs, big questions for the team, final record predictions, and our bold predictions. Our bold predictions for the season are where we get things started.
Here are our bold predictions for Penn State football in 2025.
Christopher Sheppard: Penn State will be the best road team in the Big Ten this year.
Last year, the Nittany Lions were a sterling 5-0 away from home, including a tough conference win over the Badgers and a thriller against USC in the Coliseum. This year, they get all of their toughest opponents at Beaver Stadium, with Ohio State their toughest road test. In fact, their first road game is not until Week 5, when they visit a rebuilding UCLA team. I would not be shocked if the only road blemish is their Week 8 matchup against the defending national champions. Other than that potential hurdle, look for the Nittany Lions to roll on the road.
Sam Woloson: 2025 Penn State defense statistically outperforms 2024 unit
In Tom Allen's lone season as Penn State's defensive coordinator, the Nittany Lions ranked seventh in yards allowed per game and eighth in points allowed per game. That's quite good, but I think the defense will be even scarier under new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Knowles' 4-2-5 scheme matches the team personnel perfectly, and his aggressive use of three safeties complements Penn State's secondary well. There's plenty of star power to work with, including DT Zane Durant, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, LB Tony Rojas, and S Zakee Wheatley. With Knowles' championship experience, this could be a truly elite defense.
Toluwani Akintunde: Penn State finally wins the Big Ten this year.
Not just makes it to Indy but actually brings the trophy home. Drew Allar steps into full beast mode and delivers a Heisman-level season. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen remind the country they're still the best 1-2 punch at running back. But the real x-factor is the defense under Jim Knowles. Dani Dennis-Sutton is going to be a problem off the edge, and I think freshman Daniel Jennings is going to surprise people and work his way into the rotation. Penn State pulls off a win at Oregon, beats Ohio State in Columbus, and flips the national narrative.
Andrew Deal: Penn State defeats Ohio State in Columbus
The Nittany Lions haven't defeated Ohio State in nine years. However, if there is a team to end the streak, it'd be the 2025 squad. Penn State returns most of its talent from last year's roster while adding more pieces to the team on the field. However, it's the addition to the coaching staff that will help the blue and white get over the hump.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles joined Penn State after building Ohio State's defense into one of the best units year in and year out. Knowles has already been useful to both quarterback Drew Allar and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki while installing his defense. The talent on the defensive side of the ball, in addition to Knowles' defensive scheme, could be the difference maker against the Buckeyes when they face off later in the season.
Kevin McGuire: Penn State gets a signature win at Ohio State
The odds are Penn State is due for a win against Ohio State, and a win in Columbus is also bound to happen at some point. Other than the 2017 season, this may be Penn State's best chance to check those two items off the to-do list. On paper, Penn State appears to have a more well-rounded team going into this season, and Ohio State has a few more things to figure out going into its national title defense than Penn State does. But the fact that this game comes later in the year means Ohio State has plenty of time to figure things out before the Nittany Lions come into town.
If it's not going to happen this year, I don't know when it will. This Penn State team is built to give Ohio State a stiff challenge, and no team has played Ohio State so consistently close over the last decade and come up so short on so many occasions as Penn State has. The Nittany Lions are due, and it happens this November.
Coming up next in our week-long Penn State predictions roundtable: Biggest question for Penn State in 2025
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