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The hype surrounding the Penn State football team is at an all-time high heading into the 2025 season. The Nittany Lions had a good team last year as they made it all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals, but they still struggled to get over the hump in the big games. That has been a theme for head coach James Franklin, but he is returning a ton of talent from last season. Penn State is among the best in the Big Ten at every single position group. Still, ESPN's Paul Finebaum isn't buying the hype.
While the Penn State football team made the CFP semis last year, it didn't show that it is actually over the hump. The Nittany Lions still lost their big games, but they were able to benefit from the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Still, it's hard not to be optimistic about this year's team. They have one of the best rosters in the country, but until James Franklin proves himself in a big game, Paul Finebaum will have his doubts.
“You're forgetting the most obvious thing: They still have James Franklin as a head coach, and he's yet to prove that he can handle this moment,” Finebaum said during an episode of Get Up. “I'm not going to waste your time because you were at the games with what he blew last year, but that's why I can't wrap my arms around them. On paper, yes. But he's had good teams on paper before, and managed to choke them away.”
Penn State has the talent, but Finebaum has a point. Franklin has had some very talented teams before, specifically in the Saquon Barkley/Trace McSorley era. Every promising year was the same. The Nittany Lions would typically lose to Michigan, Ohio State, or both, and then they would miss the playoff. Last year was the same. Penn State lost to Ohio State and Oregon, but because of the expanded College Football Playoff, the Nittany Lions got in.
Franklin was able to get a couple of playoff wins, but we can't really call that run impressive. Penn State beat SMU at home and Boise State on a neutral field. The Nittany Lions then faced a real challenge against Notre Dame, and they lost.
There's no doubt about it, James Franklin has a very good football team this year. Drew Allar is back at QB with a load of transfer WRs and arguably the best RB duo in the country around him. On the other side of the ball, guys like Dani Dennis-Sutton, who could be playing in the NFL, are back to chase a natty. If this isn't the year for the Penn State football team, it might never happen.
