Paul Finebaum Takes Shot at Penn State Ahead of the 2025 College Football Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Penn State Nittany Lions have a storied history as one of the top programs in college football. They have achieved a remarkable feat by winning 10 or more games in three consecutive seasons. Notably, last year marked their first appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Penn State finished the 2024 season with a record of 13-3. Its defeats came at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notably, Ohio State and Notre Dame competed for the national championship, while Oregon held the No. 1 ranking for most of the season.

This year, the Nittany Lions are aiming to bounce back from their 27-24 playoff loss to the Fighting Irish. On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst has frequently criticized Penn State and head coach James Franklin. Recently, he reiterated his criticisms, this time targeting the team's schedule.

"One thing he didn't mention was Penn State's schedule this year," Finebaum said. "It's one of the worst I've ever seen. But, then again, that's been a trademark of Penn State, playing a bunch of nobodies."

Athlon Sports' Kyle Wood ranks Penn State as having the seventh-easiest schedule in the Big Ten for the upcoming season. The most challenging games for the Nittany Lions will be against the Buckeyes on the road and the Ducks at home in Happy Valley.

Finebaum has raised concerns about the nonconference schedule. To begin the season, Penn State will face the Nevada Wolf Pack, Florida International Panthers and Villanova Wildcats at home. Because of this favorable schedule and other factors, there is considerable optimism surrounding the Nittany Lions this season.

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) ranks Penn State as the No. 5 team in the nation, providing them with a 7% chance of winning the national championship. The high expectations for the Nittany Lions this season stem from the talent they have returning.

Penn State is bringing back several key players, including quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, along with defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Overall, the team retains 63 percent of its production, which ranks it 33rd in the nation.

Last season, Allar threw for 3,327 yards, recording 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a completion percentage of 66.5%. He added 302 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. That was his best season as a starting quarterback. Additionally, Allen and Singleton rushed for over 1,000 yards each, combining for a total of 20 rushing touchdowns.

The Nittany Lions will kick off their season against the Nevada Wolf Pack at 3:30 p.m. ET Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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