Penn State football had another busy few days between the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll and more watch lists unveiling to future and past Nittany Lions hitting the headlines. Here's everything you missed.
Penn State ranks No. 2 on AP Top 25 Preseason Poll
The Nittany Lions were just five points away from being the No. 1 team in the preseason poll. Texas took the No. 1 spot, putting Penn State at No. 2. It wasn't the only Big Ten school to make the rankings. No. 3 Ohio State, No, 7 Oregon, No. 12 Illinois, No. 14 Michigan, and No. 20 Indiana were the five other teams from the conference on the board.
Paul Finebaum was displeased with how high the Nittany Lions were on the ranking despite many others thinking they deserved the No. 1 spot. He believes that being the best team "on paper" before the season shouldn't mean anything when they have yet to prove they can win big games.
Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter made splashes in only a handful of preseason snaps
Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter made their NFL Preseason debuts for the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants, respectively.
Warren tallied three catches for 40 yards and another that was ruled invalid due to an offensive penalty. One of his catches off an 11-yard pass and 14-yard gain resulted in the Colts crossing over midfield with a 23-yard improvement from the initial line of scrimmage.
Carter was on the field for six snaps, three of which were on the pass rush. On those three reps, he applied quarterback pressure and even surpassed offensive tackle Dion Dawkins more than once. Despite not recording a sack, the preseason win was all that mattered to the former Nittany Lion.
After the first week of the preseason, ESPN updated its injury chart. Former Penn State players Mike Gesicki, Kevin Givens, Daequan Hardy, Joey Porter Jr., Jaylen Reed, and Miles Sanders are all under questionable status. Gesicki, Hardy, Porter Jr., and Sanders are expected to return for Week 2 of the preseason. Givens and Reed have estimated return dates of Sept. 7 as the defensive tackle recovers from a pectoral injury and the safety heals from an ankle injury.
James Franklin continues trudging along the class of 2027 quarterback pile, losing another top target
Peter Bourque announced Monday of his commitment to Michgan, leaving Penn State in the dust after it was forced to redirect due to Teddy Jarrard's Notre Dame commitment.
However, the search for a class of 2027 quarterback (or two) isn't over yet for head coach James Franklin. Two four-star quarterbacks, Keegan Croucher and Peyton Houston, are the next-in-line to crackdown on recruiting. While Houston will more than likely choose an SEC home, the Nittany Lions have good standing with the Connecticut passer being a Northeast recruit.
Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik, and John Mackey Award watch lists released
Vega Ioane and Zane Durant made the 2025 Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List with 54 total players. The award is honors the most outstanding lineman of the season either on offense or defense.
Durant, Dani Dennis-Sutton, and A.J. Harris were unsurprising names on the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. The Maxwell Football Club recognizes the best defensive player of the year.
Khalil Dinkins finally earned preseason recognition that the Nittany Lions believed was due. The tight end was named to the 2025 John Mackey Award Watch List the season after Warren won.
Ioane, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen also earned spots on the ESPN preseason All-America first and second teams. However, no defensemen made the list.