What Penn State Can Learn From its 'Preseason' Schedule

The Nittany Lions begin the 2025 season with games against Nevada, FIU and Villanova. What can they gain from that schedule? Plenty, actually.

Penn State football head coach James Franklin smiles during a practice session outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State plays the first game of its highly anticipated 2025 season Aug. 30, but the Nittany Lions won’t get much of a test until the end of September. Penn State was ranked No. 2 behind Texas in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, but coach James Franklin said at local media day that he wasn’t “going to frame the preseason rankings and put it in [his] basement man cave.”

“All that’s wonderful, [but] we want to spend our time … creating habits and behaviors that will get us there, not talking about goals and those types of things," Franklin said.

While the Nittany Lions play the Wolf Pack in Week 1, there are three top-10 matchups on the college football schedule: No. 1 Texas plays No. 3 Ohio State, No. 4 Clemson meets No. 9 LSU and No. 6 Notre Dame visits No. 10 Miami. Meanwhile, ESPN ranked Penn State’s non-conference schedule as the softest among Power 4 teams.

It’s hard to ignore how these other playoff contenders are getting tested right away while the Nittany Lions ease into the season. But at Big Ten Media Days in July, Franklin defended Penn State’s non-conference slate, calling it a strategic decision.

So what can playing Nevada, FIU and Villanova actually show us about the second-ranked Nittany Lions? These three games feel like a “preseason” for Penn State, when there’s time to solidify the depth chart, assimilate new players and develop comfort with the playbook. 

Here’s what Penn State will work on through the non-conference schedule before hosting Oregon on Sept. 27 in the “White Out.”

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Connecting through the air

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Kyron Hudson runs with the ball during the third quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Quarterback Drew Allar has new wide receivers who are expected to be gamechangers for the offense. Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross and Trebor Pena all jumped to Penn State from the transfer portal this offseason. 

Allar said they’ve worked closely in the film room, going over routes through the early stages of training camp. But how will that translate to the game? Penn State’s wide receivers haven’t been the most reliable lately, but last year they didn’t necessarily have to be.

Because of how dominant Tyler Warren was for the 2024 Nittany Lions offense, the lack of receiver production wasn’t always the biggest concern — plays were still being made. But in 2025, the offense will look different. These first few games provide Allar the perfect opportunity to test his connection with the new receivers and make sure they’re all on the same page.  

Whoever wins the backup quarterback job — a duel Franklin said he expects to go “down to the wire” — also will benefit from the non-conference slate. In the past, Penn State hasn’t always kept its starters in for the entire game, so either Jaxon Smolik or Ethan Grunkemeyer will get important live reps in September.

Another year, another defense

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jim Knowles looks on from the sideline during the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Jim Knowles said his defense is complicated but that players were responding well to the installation process. While Nevada, FIU and Villanova won’t provide nearly the same offensive threats as the Ducks or Buckeyes, those games will give Knowles a chance to adjust his scheme and see how his players adapt to change. 

Because for some, it’s the third defensive system they’re learning. Knowles came to Penn State after spending three seasons, and winning a national championship, at Ohio State. The Buckeyes' defense ranked first nationally in several categories last season, including scoring defense, yards allowed per play and opponent touchdowns scored in the red zone.  

Penn State’s defense has been steady, even exceptional, but can Knowles take it to the next level? A win against Knowles’ former team would certainly answer that question for the fanbase, but there are answers in these opening games as well. 

Returning to the field

Penn State running back Cam Wallace breaks off a run for a first down in the second half of an NCAA football game against Kent State. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State is getting several players back from injury. This “preseason” will test how ready they are to return to a typical game rhythm. While music blasts often from Holuba Hall during practices, it’s hard to mimic the feeling of playing in Beaver Stadium and the heightened emotional reaction that comes with it. 

Sometimes, starting in games with lower stakes eases the process of returning to the field. For offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh, linebacker Tony Rojas, tight end Andrew Rappleyea, running back Cam Wallace and defensive tackle Alonzo Ford Jr., among others, these upcoming games are important. 

Penn State needs to see how they respond to in-game challenges, and it will be interesting to see how many reps those players see in these first three games. Position battles are still ongoing in fall camp: Wallace is the top contender for the RB3 role, and Rappleyea is expected to contribute well with Khalil Dinkins and Luke Reynolds at tight end. Expect those depth-chart decisions to be tested and finalized during the non-conference slate. 

Test-driving Beaver Stadium

Construction work continues at Penn State football's Beaver Stadium in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Beaver Stadium gets loud and very, very full. Last season’s attendance numbers were some of the largest in history. Between the “White Out … energy” game, the traditional White Out and the Stripe Out against Ohio State, Penn State created some of the toughest environments in college football. 

The stadium will look different this year, with temporary bleachers still being finished just weeks before kickoff, but the fans will still be there, and they’ll still be loud. Aug. 30 is the first time these bleachers experience the energy and volume of a Penn State football game and will immediately be put to the test, even if it's just a non-conference game.