Where does Penn State rank in updated USA TODAY football preseason top 25?

Penn State has once again been given a top 25 preseason ranking, but the Nittany Lions still have to prove themselves to some doubters.

No. 16 – Penn State

Dec 5, 2020; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State running back Keyvone Lee (24) carries the ball as Rutgers Scarlet Knights linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi (3) pursues during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

What Erick Smith Says

It’s hard to make sense of the Nittany Lions after they started with five losses last year and then finished with four consecutive wins. It would be easy to overreact to the lows given the loss of their two best players — Micah Parsons and Journey Brown — right before the season. Quarterback Sean Clifford had a major slump that coincided with the arrival of offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. New coordinator Mike Yurcich is tasked with rebuilding Clifford’s confidence. A deep stable of running backs and wide receiver Jahan Dotson’s decision to forgo the NFL draft gives the offense some major pop. Two transfers — Temple defensive end Arnold Ebiketie and South Carolina cornerback Johnny Dixon — bolster a unit that should be closer to the usual high standard of the James Franklin era.

NEXT… The complete USA TODAY Top 25