Penn State is coming off a very interesting 2022-23 season.
They finished the season with an 11-2 record and as Rose Bowl winners. They also lost to archrivals Michigan and Ohio State again, missing out on the College Football Playoff for the sixth year.
Normally, an 11-2 season and New Year’s Six Bowl win is seen as a great season. But frustrations and question marks continue to surround the program as they’ve yet to prove they can get over the Michigan and Ohio State hurdle.
In the last 12 meetings, Penn State has beaten Ohio State twice. They’ve beaten Michigan four times in the last 10 meetings.
Those teams are the measuring stick in the Big Ten’s eastern division and Penn State isn’t on that tier yet.
The way to start beating those teams is to raise the level of athlete that is in the program.
Coming into the 2022 season, PFF had zero Penn State returning players ranked in the top 10 at their positions.
PFF recently put out their rankings for the 2023 season and there are five Nittany Lions ranked in the top 10.
Here are the players expected to be stars this upcoming season.