Penn State ranks No. 17 in ESPN's preseason FPI for 2026
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 11, 2026, 11:15 PM
Last updated Jul 11, 2026
ESPN has placed Penn State at No. 17 in its preseason Football Power Index ahead of the 2026 college football season. The ranking comes after a tumultuous previous season and the hiring of head coach Matt Campbell. With a schedule favoring them and over 20 transfers from Iowa State, expectations for the Nittany Lions have risen. Despite five Big Ten teams ranking higher, this marks a potential improvement from last year when they finished outside the conference's top ten. The official top-25 list has yet to be released.
- •Penn State's ranking is a significant shift from last season.
- •Matt Campbell was hired to stabilize the program after a difficult year.
- •They have a favorable schedule and numerous transfers boosting their roster.
- •Only five Big Ten teams are ranked above them in the FPI.
- 11:15 PMYahoo Sports — Where Penn State ranks on ESPN’s preseason FPI
"Penn State didn’t have a ton of expectations for the 2026 season initially, but now the tide has turned and ESPN has them ranked in the top 25.
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