Legendary coach Cael Sanderson speaks to Penn State football team before Week 1

Penn State football officially heads into Week 1 of the 2024 season as James Franklin and the Nittany Lions prepare to make the short trip down to Morgantown to face the West Virginia Mountaineers. A team looking to take advantage of the newly expanded College Football Playoff and make a postseason run this December, the Nittany Lions recently listened to the words of someone who knows a thing or two about bringing championships back to State College. Recently, legendary Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson was invited in as a guest speaker for the football team, a collision of the university’s hallmark program with perhaps the greatest coach in college wrestling history.

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We appreciate Coach @CaelSanderson taking time to share his message with the team 🤝@PennStateFball x @PennStateWrest pic.twitter.com/fP2b7aBWWu

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 25, 2024

Penn State football is looking to break through

It is no secret that James Franklin and Penn State football have not lived up to the expectations of both the fanbase and much of the national media. The Nittany Lions have always been in the mix around the top 10, but could never seem to break through and make the four-team College Football Playoff.

The typical stumbling blocks were Ohio State or Michigan. But even beyond the conference’s traditional powers, the glass ceiling seemed perpetually set at 10-2.

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

This year in the new-look Big Ten, Penn State football faces Ohio State at home while avoiding Michigan. However, the Nittany Lions still have to travel to Madison to take on Wisconsin, as well as LA to battle what could be a ranked USC team.

With the CFP expanded to 12 teams, the margin of error has grown. But if Penn State falls short of the playoff in 2024, it could spark even more strife regarding the program’s future.

Sanderson and Nittany Lions wrestling looking for a third four-peat

On the other hand, Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling are looking to win their fourth consecutive National Championship and 12th title in the past 14 seasons. It would be the third time since Sanderson took over 15 years ago that the Nittany Lions have pulled off a four-peat.

Penn State returns individual National Champions Carter Starocci, Levi Haines, and Greg Kerkvliet, as well as NCAA Finalists Beau Bartlett and Mitchell Mesenbrink. The Nittany Lions will be huge favorites to extend their dominant run and will feature a lineup with national title experience and exciting blue chip freshman depth.

Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

There’s even chatter that Penn State wrestling may face a non-conference opponent inside Beaver Stadium before a home football game, although for now, that’s purely speculative.

Cael Sanderson has elevated the wrestling program to be the second most popular sport at Penn State and the most dominant program on campus at the moment. It only makes sense that he would share his competitive philosophy with the football program as James Franklin and the Nittany Lions prepare to embark on the 2024 campaign.

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