Joel Klatt ranks Penn State football No. 1 in post-spring top 25

We’ve only just reached the halfway point of the college football offseason, but significant momentum is already building around the team James Franklin has assembled in Happy Valley. As voices in the national media reset their expectations coming out of spring practice, Joel Klatt believes Penn State football is heading into the summer a step above the rest.

On Monday, the FOX college football analyst released his post-spring top 25 on his podcast, The Joel Klatt Show. Klatt ranked the Nittany Lions his No. 1 team in the country, comparing the program’s current trajectory to the two most recent national champions, Michigan and Ohio State.

“They’re following the blueprint of the teams that have just won the national championship. This is why I am putting them in this spot,” Klatt said. “…Both of those teams had a core group of veteran players stay. They stayed, and they won a championship. 

“Both of those teams had veterans at quarterback. They had veterans on both sides of the ball. They were excellent at the line of scrimmage. They had chips on their shoulders from the way that they were bounced in the postseason in years prior. All of that is true about Penn State.”

Klatt highlighted the return of stars Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen while commending the hire of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and the additions of transfer portal wide receivers Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross, and Trebor Pena.

NEW: College Football Post-Spring Top 25 per @joelklatt👀https://t.co/45ihMeXrtL pic.twitter.com/C1MDgNDOcq

— On3 (@On3sports) May 5, 2025

Is Penn State football ready to take the next step?

Penn State football coach James Franklin. © Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2025.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a program-record 13 wins last year but still came painfully short against the best teams on their schedule, losing to Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame by a combined 18 points.

Even those who remain skeptical about Penn State’s chances of winning a title in 2025 agree that there is only one way for James Franklin’s squad to reach the pinnacle.

“I like this team. I like this team a lot,” Klatt continued. “The last question I would have for Penn State is, the last hurdle that Penn State has: Penn State has proven, really for a number of years, they will absolutely take care of business. They will beat the teams that they should beat. What we haven’t seen from Penn State is them rise up and win the game that I would call a ‘matchup game,’ when they’re looking across, and the talent is equated, and they may even be a bit of an underdog. Can they win that game? Because up until this point, they haven’t.

We may get that answer very early this fall, with the Nittany Lions welcoming Oregon to Beaver Stadium on September 27. On the back half of the schedule, a rematch with the Buckeyes looms on November 1 in Columbus. Matchups at Iowa (October 18) and against 2024 CFP participant Indiana (November 8) should also be notable bellwethers for a program looking to win double-digit regular-season games for a fourth straight year.

“I believe they will take the next step,” said Klatt. “I believe that Penn State is ready to take the next step with their veterans, Drew Allar leading the charge. I think he’s going to have a big, big year.”

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