Penn State continues to be placed among top 2020 College Football Playoff contenders in anticipation of a strong season next autumn. ESPN's Football Power Index, which ranks all 130 FBS programs and was published this week, puts the Nittany Lions at No. 5 overall.
Clemson tops the list, followed in order by Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama and Penn State. The Nittany Lions concluded last season ranked seventh in the FPI after defeating Memphis in their Cotton Bowl matchup, securing a third 11-win campaign since 2016.
Developed by ESPN in 2013, the FPI is "a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward". The company summarizes it as follows:
Each team’s FPI rating is composed of a predicted offensive, defensive and special teams component. These ratings represent the number of points each unit is expected to contribute to the team's net scoring margin on a neutral field against an average FBS opponent.
Beyond Ohio State and Penn State, Big Ten programs appeared in the following order for preseason FPI rankings: Wisconsin (6th), Michigan (16th), Minnesota (20th), Nebraska (22nd), Indiana (26th), Iowa (27th), Purdue (36th), Northwestern (38th), Michigan State (58th), Illinois (65th), Maryland (68th), Rutgers (83rd).
There is certainly reason for optimism in Happy Happy Valley.
After seeing five players exit early for the 2019 NFL Draft last winter, Penn State lost only two underclassmen (junior defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and redshirt sophomore receiver KJ Hamler) to the 2020 NFL Draft. Starters such as cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, tight end Pat Freiermuth, center Michal Menet and defensive end Shaka Toney were among those who opted to remain on campus.
"We've got guys that had NFL grades that could have left early, and they're staying," Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said. "I think that's a tremendous statement because they like what's going on. They're happy. And we have unfinished business."
Offensively, there are serious questions in the receivers room but redshirt juniors Sean Clifford and Journey Brown provide stability in a talented backfield that also features rising sophomore running backs Noah Cain and Devyn Ford. Freiermuth should contend for All-American status next fall, fellow junior Jahan Dotson has substantial experience at receiver, and the Nittany Lions return five offensive linemen with starting experience.
Consensus 2019 All-American linebacker Micah Parsons is the headliner on defense, while other third-year players such as defensive back Trent Gordon, defensive tackle PJ Mustipher and defensive end Jayson Oweh could be primed to provide a greater boost with continued progression this offseason. Aside from Castro-Fields, Parsons and Toney, Penn State returns starters at defensive tackle (senior Antonio Shelton) and safety (senior Lamont Wade).
Last season, Penn State entered November unbeaten and ranked fourth in initial College Football Playoff rankings. Losses at Minnesota and Ohio State contributed to an 11-2 finish and a final AP Poll ranking of No. 9.
For the third time in four years, Penn State finished its football season as a top-10 team in national rankings. That result marking the first such span for PSU since 1993-96.
Prior to the mid-90s, you've got to go back to 1979-82 to find that level of sustained respect for Penn State from poll voters.
"Whenever you can meet and exceed expectations, that's always a good thing," Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin said following a Cotton Bowl win. "Especially at a place like Penn State where the expectations and standards are so high."
Penn State opens its 2020 season Sept. 5 in Beaver Stadium against Kent State before facing an early out-of-conference test Sept. 12 at Virginia Tech. The Hokies are ranked 25th in ESPN's FPI.
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February 22, 2020 at 09:04PM
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ESPN's 2020 Football Power Index places PSU in Top 5 - 247Sports
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