Phil Steele has high hopes for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and not only in the Big Ten.
Whereas Ohio State triumphed to its first College Football Playoff championship in 2024-25, Steele predicted in the digital version of his College Football '25 Preview per Penn State Nittany Lions On SI that Penn State will follow a similar path to its first title.
The Nittany Lions just missed out on the 2024-25 championship game with a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.
This loss, though, did not keep Penn State from being considered a legit contender to win the Big Ten and potentially a national title heading into 2025-26.
The Nittany Lions are coming in with a solid core of returners on both sides of the ball. This was a feat of the past two champions' teams Ohio State and Michigan.
Nine veteran starters on offense are coming back Beaver Stadium, including quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Both running backs put up over 1000 rushing yards in the 2024-25 season and had more than enough reasoning to leave for the NFL. With Singleton and Allen opting to return instead, CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli boosted Penn State from an honorable mention to the No. 1 running back room in the NCAA.
Singleton, specifically, has potential of being the No. 1 draft-eligible NCAA running back and a first-team All-American per Steele's predictions.
As for Allar, quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien said in a recent media availability that the junior continues to grow day-by-day, especially in and out of the pocket.
"He moved better than he has his entire career this spring," O'Brien said. "... he's continuing to become more dynamic, growing into his body."
The Nittany Lions offensive line and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein also have high hopes for the upcoming season, working towards both a title-winning season and the Joe Moore Award. Trautwein's group is packed with five returners: Drew Shelton, Nick Dawkins, Anthony Donkoh, Nolan Rucci, and Vega Ioane.
According to Steele's projections, the Nittany Lions will have a No. 1 offensive line in the country next season. He also predicted that offensive guard Ioane will join Singleton in the first-team All-American group.
On the defensive end, five returners are keeping the group strong. Notably, cornerback A.J. Harris who had five pass breakups and an interception last season is considered a standout to cornerbacks coach Terry Smith.
The 2024-25 third-team all-Big Ten cornerback is expected to make another impact season for the Nittany Lions with Smith expecting him to continue his campaign in becoming one of the best cornerbacks in program history.
"He understands the game, he studies the game, he's got all the physical attributes. He can cover, he can tackle, he can cover slot [receivers], he can cover outside guys. He can run," Smith said. "But I just think his IQ separates him. He just sees things a different way than most guys."
With all these pieces coming together, Steele projects that Penn State will lead the Big Ten in quarterbacks, running backs, and all three defensive units.
High expectations for the Nittany Lions have been circulating beyond Steele, who's just the latest addition to the group.
Fox Sports' Joel Klatt posted to X his Post-Spring Top 25 with Penn State leading the pack and emphasized on his podcast the importance of its strong group of returners.
My Post-Spring Top 25 for 2025...Can't wait! pic.twitter.com/gTTP7QjJSr
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) May 5, 2025
ESPN's College Football Power Index, too, has the Nittany Lions within reach of a College Football Playoff championship title. Penn State is currently listed at No. 5 with a 63.8 percent playoff contention chance and a 7.6 percent title-winning chance.
The Nittany Lions are also ranked No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, for best offenses and defenses heading into the upcoming season, according to ESPN.
Penn State has a chip on its shoulder barely missing out on the College Football Playoff championship game. With this group of veterans likely determining the fate of the Nittany Lions, a title-winning season is not out of reach.