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Penn State Preps for Promising 2025 Season with Cupcake Openers
19 Aug
Summary
- Penn State to use first 3 games for player development
- Wildcats face uphill battle after 4-8 season and transfer losses
- Nittany Lions aim to end 9-year drought against Ohio State
As of August 19th, 2025, Penn State's football team is gearing up for a promising season with a relatively soft start to the schedule. The first three games will feature mostly unfamiliar non-conference opponents that the Nittany Lions are expected to handle with ease by halftime. This gives the team an opportunity to work out any kinks and get valuable playing time for younger players who may not see significant action later in the year.
While the early games may not generate much excitement among Penn State fans, the schedule sets up nicely for the team to build momentum heading into tougher conference matchups. The Wildcats, led by head coach David Braun, are a scrappy bunch but have fallen off in the era of the transfer portal and NIL. Despite a surprise season in 2023, there is little reason to believe they will improve on last year's 4-8 record.
The Nittany Lions' biggest challenge will come in November, starting with a road trip to face Michigan State. The Spartans are looking to take a step forward in year two under Jonathan Smith, but are still a far cry from the Mark Dantonio era. The season finale against Rutgers could have major implications, as Penn State aims to continue its dominance in the series and potentially secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship game.
The marquee matchup of the season, however, will be the White Out game against Oregon on September 27th. This early-season clash between two national title contenders is sure to have the eyes of the college football world focused on Happy Valley. Penn State will also look to finally break through against their biggest rival, Ohio State, when they travel to Columbus in early November.
