3 Reasons Penn State Football Will Win The National Championship in 2025

Despite the crushing end to the 2024 season, Penn State Football has plenty to look forward to in 2025.

Several analysts have Penn State ranked No. 1 in the nation entering next season, while many others have them at least in the top 3.

But, can head coach James Franklin and this Nittany Lions team finally rid themselves of their demons? Here are three reasons why this is their year.

New Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles

Penn State has really struggled against Ohio State in recent years.

In fact, Ohio State has won eight straight in the series, which is the longest streak between the two teams. After actually winning, the sweetest thing is revenge. Step 1 in the revenge game was stealing Ohio State’s defensive coordinator who just played a key role in a national championship.

Jim Knowles is an incredible coordinator, but he also knows Ohio State and Ryan Day. That gives Penn State a distinct advantage come November 1^st and that’s step 2.

Everyone says James Franklin can’t win a big game or beat Ohio State. The best thing he can do is surround himself with guys who can and have, and he’s done just that with this hiring. The price is high, but it’s worth it (hopefully).

Drew Allar’s Growth

Penn State Football, Drew Allar — Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images)

Over the last three seasons, Drew Allar’s stats have continued to skyrocket.

In his freshman year, Allar only played a handful of snaps but completed 58% of his passes and had a 4:0 TD:INT ratio. His overall rating for the year was 128.5. Then in 2023, he had a TD:INT ratio of 25:2 and threw for 2,631 yards for a rating of 136.9. His completion percentage didn’t move much, with an increase of just 1.6%.

But in 2024, that completion percentage jumped to 66.5% as he threw for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. His rating on the season was 153.5.

Remember, this was with a team that didn’t have a single receiver make a catch in the semi-final round of the Playoff.

Draft analysts and NFL executives are already high on Allar. Another year with Penn State should only improve his play and lead the team back for a chance at redemption.

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Penn State is “Running It Back” in 2025

Nick Singleton, Penn State Football — Penn State running back Nick Singleton (Syndication: Hanover Evening Sun)

One of the incredible things about Penn State’s offseason so far is that they’ve retained a lot of NFL-level talent (Dani Dennis-Sutton, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen).

They’ve also attracted some impressive recruits and have some fresh blood coming in from the transfer portal while not many wanted to leave. This combination lends to the transfer of wisdom from the juniors and seniors to the freshmen and sophomores.

At the college level, experience and wisdom can go a long way for young players.

What to Expect From Penn State in 2025

James Franklin, Penn State Football, Drew Allar — Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin watches quarterback Drew Allar (Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

All in all, expect big things from Penn State in 2025.

The defense was impressive in 2024 and might even be an upgrade with Knowles. The run game shouldn’t miss a beat with both running backs returning.

The glaring weakness is the WR position, but Penn State has brought in some talent to address that issue. If those guys can step up, Allar may be in the Heisman race and a first-round draft pick and James Franklin might finally have a national championship.