No. 2 Penn State comes into the 2025 season with its loftiest expectations in many years. Coach James Franklin’s squad is without doubt one of the high championship favorites (+700, per FanDuel) coming into the season because of a stout protection now led by former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and an offense that options two of the nation’s high working backs, plus a Heisman frontrunner in quarterback Drew Allar.
With these expectations comes strain, particularly for a program that has but to provide an actual signature win towards elite competitors. Franklin is famously 1-14 towards high 5 opponents since taking on in Glad Valley, and the questions concerning the Nittany Lions’ skill to win towards the nation’s elite linger within the background of all that preseason pleasure.
Franklin was requested about that historical past on the CBS Sports activities pregame present and whether or not this can be a “championship or bust” season for this system given the power of their roster. Franklin, unsurprisingly, did not purchase into the “championship or bust” idea, however did word that they’ve “complete management” to reshape the narrative round them — whereas noting they get criticized for years most applications want they may have.
“Yeah, I feel it is constructive is we’re part of that dialog. We’re getting criticized for seasons that 99% of the applications within the nation would die to have,” Franklin mentioned. “However that is why you got here to Penn State. That comes with it, that is a part of it. The most effective half about all of it’s we’re in complete management of the season, of the video games and of the narrative that is on the market. We have got an opportunity to exit and play effectively towards Nevada. We’ll method it that manner, as a result of when you’re not cautious and begin speaking about all these items on the finish of the season and sure video games, after which you do not play effectively towards a workforce like Nevada then issues get actual ugly. Our guys are targeted on that as a employees and so are our gamers.”
Franklin ultimately goes into some “one recreation at a time” coach converse, however it’s clear what the message has been within the Penn State locker room this offseason. They know what the chatter is about them and imagine this workforce has the possibility to be particular. Relatively than wanting on the expectations as a burden, Franklin is telling his workforce it is a chance as a result of they’re in full management. In the event that they handle enterprise, the remaining takes care of itself, and the one factor they should fear about is successful video games.
