Penn State Lands at No. 8 in ESPN's Preseason Power Rankings

The Nittany Lions begin the 2024 season as a contender for the College Football Playoff.

Penn State coach James Franklin jogs through warmups before the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State begins the 2024 college football season as a lead contender for the College Football Playoff. Just as it did last year, right? Yet this year the Nittany Lions have a broader opportunity in a 12-team playoff.

Penn State ranks eighth in ESPN's latest preseason power rankings, which (like most everyone else) place Georgia atop college football. The Nittany Lions, which begin the 2024 season at No. 8 in the AP Top 25, land in the same spot at ESPN and one place above defending national champ Michigan.

Elsewhere, The Action Network's Brett McMurphy projects Penn State as a No. 9 seed in the College Football Playoff in his preseason predictions. McMurphy has Penn State visiting LSU for a first-round game.

Of course, Penn State's hinge point, according to ESPN, is offense — specifically new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and how he can prepare second-year starter Drew Allar.

"With Kotelnicki calling plays, Kansas ranked third in yards per attempt (10.04) and 10th in air yards per attempt (11.20) last year," ESPN writes. "The Nittany Lions have the talent on both sides of the ball to make a run to the playoff — if the passing attack takes another step forward."

Welcome to the club. Even Penn State coach James Franklin has identified explosive plays, particularly in the passing game, as a hinge point of his offense.

"We're not starting from scratch [on offense], so are you able to come in, study what we do, what can stay the same and what needs to change?" Franklin said of Kotelnicki's introduction to the Penn State offense. "I think the big thing obviously, [Penn State] did a ton of good things on offense last year, but we were not explosive enough. Coach Kotelnicki and what they were able to do at Kansas the last two years, [they were] extremely explosive and [he] just did a really good job as a relational leader, coming in and building those relationships with our staff and players."

RELATED: James Franklin has a history of harrowing road openers at Penn State

Franklin begins his 11th season as Penn State's head coach with a roster that returns 16 starters, including seven each on offense and defense. Allar, a preseason nominee for the Davey O'Brien and
Maxwell Awards, returns for his second season as the Nittany Lions' starting quarterback. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who essentially were co-starters last season, are back as well, as is Mackey Award nominee Tyler Warren at tight end.

Penn State also returns one of the nation's most highly ranked defensive players in Abdul Carter, who is playing defensive end after two seasons at linebacker. The Nittany Lions' returning starters on defense include linebacker Kobe King, safeties KJ Winston and Jaylen Reed and defensive
tackles Dvon J-Thomas and Zane Durant.

The Nittany Lions added four scholarship players through the NCAA Transfer Portal: cornerbacks A.J. Harris (Georgia) and Jalen Kimber (Florida), receiver Julian Fleming (Ohio State) and offensive lineman Nolan Rucci (Wisconsin). Three other transfers joined the team as walk-ons: kicker Chase Meyer (Tulsa), defensive end Jordan Mayer (Wisconsin) and receiver Logan Cunningham (Marietta College).

Franklin also hired two new coordinators alongside Kotelnicki: former Indiana head coach Tom Allen on defense and Justin Lustig from Vanderbilt on special teams.

"I think one of the big story lines for us obviously is three new coordinators, which is unusual," Franklin said.

Penn State opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 at West Virginia. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on FOX.

More Penn State Football

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Quarterback Drew Allar named one of Penn State's six captains

"I feel really good in this offense," quarterback Beau Pribula says

Penn State on SI 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 X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.