Penn State Football gets nod of respect from opposing coaches in first poll

Penn State Football made the cut in the first Coaches Poll of the 2021 season, despite a historically down 2020 campaign

With the return of college football fast approaching, the first edition of the USA Today coaches poll was released Tuesday morning and it seems the Nittany Lions are still viewed as a threat even after a down 2020 campaign.

Penn State Football checked in at no. 20 in the coaches poll released earlier by USA Today.

This marks the fifth straight season, dating back to 2017, head coach James Franklin’s program has been ranked inside the pre-season top 25 of the coaches poll.

This is their lowest ranking since then.

However, coming off an abysmal 4-5 season last year, it is actually a nod to the foundation Franklin has built in State College.

The consensus among most media outlets this offseason is there is no consensus, some see Penn State Football as a major bounce back candidate after a whacky 2020 season, and some see them as a program headed in the wrong direction, with a lackluster quarterback back at the helm, with no relative competition to push him.

The Nittany Lions are one of four Big Ten programs inside the top 25, with Michigan being the most notable school omitted. Ohio State checks in at no. 4, Wisconsin at no. 15, and Iowa at no. 18, all teams that Penn State Football’s will take a road trip to in 2021.

How the Nittany Lions fare with their tough September schedule will play a big role in the whether or not they shoot up the rankings, or fall into the “others receiving votes” category.

A win in a Week 1 trip to Wisconsin, and home game over Auburn could have Franklin’s bunch sitting inside the top 10 by the time the calendar turns to October.