The 2024 college football season officially came to a close on Monday with the College Football Playoff National Championship, where the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. While Buckeyes fans revel in their triumph, the rest of the college football world has already turned its attention to the 2025 season.
On Thursday, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt revealed his “way-too-early” top 10 rankings for 2025 on his podcast, The Joel Klatt Show. Leading the list was a surprising choice: the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Penn State, who finished the 2024 season with a 13-3 record after falling to Notre Dame in the CFP semifinals, impressed Klatt with their progress and potential. “Penn State is going to be my number one team in my way-too-early top 10 for 2025,” Klatt announced.
“Penn State has improved every single year over the past three or four seasons. James Franklin and his team had every chance to win that game against Notre Dame. They’re knocking on the door of a national championship, and now they’re bringing back all those key pieces. This is the blueprint.”
Klatt elaborated on what he sees as the new formula for success in college football: experienced, veteran players. “There’s a clear blueprint in college football right now. It’s about retaining veteran players, especially those who’ve grown within your program. When a team’s culture is built on those core players, that’s when something special happens.”
Penn State’s core for 2025 includes quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, all returning after stellar 2024 campaigns. The last time Penn State claimed the top spot in the AP Poll was in 1997, but if Klatt’s prediction holds true, the Nittany Lions may be primed for a long-awaited return to glory.
