Penn State will begin its season ranked for the fourth consecutive year and ninth time in the last decade.
The Nittany Lions on Monday afternoon landed at No. 18 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, one slot lower than their ranking in the preseason coaches poll, to start the Matt Campbell era. Campbell’s Iowa State squad was ranked No. 22 in the preseason last year, as well as No. 7 in 2021, No. 23 in 2020 and No. 21 in 2019.
Penn State is one of eight Big Ten teams in the initial rankings and is lower than six of their conference foes. Based on the preseason rankings, the team’s schedule includes matchups against T-No. 14 USC, No. 16 Michigan and No. 17 Washington, with the latter two coming on the road.
After a disappointing 7-6 season, the Nittany Lions ended their 2025 campaign unranked, but the influx of coaches and players has voters confident they’ll field an improved product this fall. Former head coach James Franklin’s Virginia Tech squad was unranked but received six points in the others receiving votes category, making it the de facto 37th-ranked team.
The full top 25 is as follows:
1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Ole Miss
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Texas Tech
13. Alabama
14. BYU (tied)
14. USC (tied)
16. Michigan
17. Washington
18. Penn State
19. SMU
20. Tennessee
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Houston
24. Louisville
25. Missouri
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