Penn State Lands at No. 7 in AP Preseason Poll

The Lions are among five Big Ten teams in the AP preseason Top 25. Three are on Penn State's schedule.
Penn State Lands at No. 7 in AP Preseason Poll
Penn State Lands at No. 7 in AP Preseason Poll /

Penn State opens the 2023 season at No. 7 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, another raised expectation for the Lions as they pursue a first trip to the College Football Playoff. The preseason ranking is Penn State's highest since 2020, when it also was ranked seventh. The Lions begin 2023 where they ended last season, at No. 7 following an 11-2 campaign.

Penn State, which also opened at No. 7 in the AFCA USA Today Coaches Poll, is among five Big Ten teams in the preseason AP poll. Michigan is No. 2 behind defending national-champ Georgia, followed by Ohio State at No. 3, Wisconsin at No. 19 and Iowa at No. 25.

Head coach James Franklin's team returns 13 starters from an 11-2 roster that defeated Utah in the Rose Bowl. Penn State has assembled perhaps its best defensive team of the Franklin era, with potential All-Americans at defensive end (Chop Robinson), linebacker (Abdul Carter, Curtis Jacobs) and cornerback (Kalen King). Offensively, the Lions will lean on junior Olu Fashanu, one of the nation's top tackles, and sophomore running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Singleton was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as he and Allen combined for 1,928 rushing yards and 25 of the team's 61 total touchdowns.

Penn State is ranked in the AP's preseason top 10 for the fourth time under Franklin, who is entering his 10th season as head coach. In those three previous years, Penn State finished the season lower than where it began. The Lions opened 2020 at No. 7, went 4-5 during the COVID season and finished unranked. The 2017 team, which opened the season at No. 6, finished eighth after going 11-2 and losing those two games by a combined total of four points. The 2018 team, ranked 10th to begin the season, finished 17th after a 9-4 campaign.

Penn State opens the 2023 season Sept. 2 against West Virginia in the debut of NBC's Big Ten Saturday Night. Kickoff is scheduled for just past 7:30 p.m. at Beaver Stadium.

More on Penn State

Penn State Football on SI.com

Penn State has 'legitimate' playoff hopes, Mike Golic Jr. says

Is this the year Penn State and James Franklin win at Ohio State?

Penn State's offense taking shape in training camp

Ahead of the 2023 season, the Lions' Chop Robinson says, 'I feel unstoppable'

How New England's Bill Belichick could help shape Penn State's 2023 season

Expectations are high for Penn State in 2023. But are they realistic?

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.


Published
Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.