Another analyst has Penn State as the No. 1 team in the country in his rankings.
Days after ESPN tabbed PSU as the top-ranked team in its post-spring rankings, On3Sports has done the same.
Top Dawgs: ESPN Names Penn State the No. 1 Team in the Country
On3’s Ari Wasserman has Penn State leading the pack, with Texas, Clemson, Ohio State and LSU rounding out the top five.
It’s easy to understand Wasserman’s thinking.
After all, Penn State came within a whisker of making it to the national championship game last season and returns almost all of its key contributors from that squad. QB Drew Allar, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton and CB AJ Harris are among those who could go on the first-round of next year’s Draft.
THE REST OF THE TOP FIVE
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 20: Wide Receiver Carnell Tate #17 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts after a play during the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
So what about the rest of the top five? Well, right behind Penn State is Texas. Texas, like Penn State, made a deep College Football Playoff run last season before falling in the national semifinal. Also like Penn State, Texas returns a QB, Arch Manning, who many feel could be the top pick in next year’s Draft.
No. 3 Clemson also returns a big-time QB in Cade Klubnik.
Ohio State is Ohio State, so it’s no surprise to see it at No. 4. Brian Kelly and LSU round out the top five, with a Heisman candidate at QB in Garrett Nussmeier. So, yeah, quarterback is quite important, which is why having Allar back is huge for Penn State.
BIG-TIME MATCHUPS
Abdul Carter tackles Ohio State’s Miyan Williams.
Although these rankings are hardly official, it’s a good bet that Penn State football’s matchups with Oregon (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Nov. 1) will be big time. Wasserman has Oregon ranked No. 9.
Penn State opens its season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.
