Penn State’s first Saturday did more than just produce a 45-0 rout of Marshall. It also gave the Nittany Lions a bump in ESPN’s Football Power Index, and the early-season numbers now have them moving in a better direction.
Before the season kicked off, ESPN slotted Penn State at No. 16 in its initial FPI release. After Week 1 wrapped, the Nittany Lions climbed two spots to No.
- Their FPI score jumped from 13.7 to 17.2, a gain of 3.5 points.
One of the teams Penn State passed was Michigan, which needed last-second heroics to escape Western Michigan. That result helped shift the board a bit, but Penn State also benefited from some uneven performances elsewhere, especially Oregon’s sluggish showing against Boise State.
The Ducks entered the year as the No. 2 team in college football in the AP Poll, but they didn’t really separate from the Broncos until the fourth quarter. Even with that, Oregon still won, and Ohio State’s 56-3 demolition of Ball State kept the top end of the FPI from moving too dramatically.
Penn State’s conference outlook still improved, though, as ESPN now gives the Nittany Lions an 8.5% chance to win the Big Ten. That’s up from 4.6% a week ago.
The latest update is another sign that Penn State’s national perception is trending upward after opening week. With Temple and Buffalo coming next, the Nittany Lions have a chance to keep climbing before they get their first Big Ten test.
In Other News...
Penn State Mourns A Former Star As New Details Emerge
Matt Suhey, one of Penn States most respected former stars, was found dead at his home in Deerfield, Illinois, a loss that adds another somber note to the programs long football lineage. Suhey went on to become a fixture with the Chicago Bears, remembered most for his work as a lead blocker for Walter Payton and for scoring the first touchdown in the Bears Super Bowl XX win.
The Lake County Coroners Office said there were no suspicious circumstances and that his death was due to natural causes tied to a significant medical history. For Penn State fans, Suhey was part of an era that still carries weight in the schools football story, and his passing is likely to prompt the kind of reflection that follows whenever one of the programs former standard-bearers is lost. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Sirianni Has A Surprising Penn State Tie Coming To The Linc
Matt Campbell and Nick Sirianni have traveled a long way from their days as roommates at Mount Union, and now their careers are set to cross again in a much bigger spotlight. Sirianni has already climbed to Super Bowl-winning status with the Eagles, while Campbell has settled in as Penn States head coach, giving their old relationship a new layer of intrigue whenever the schedules and sideline duties line up.
Campbell recently spoke with Sirianni after Penn States debut win, a reminder that the two still lean on one another as they navigate the demands that come with leading major programs. Now Campbell is bringing his team to Lincoln Financial Field, where Sirianni coaches, adding a personal twist to a game that already carries plenty of attention for Penn State fans following the programs new chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Is Leaning Back Into Its Past In A Big Way
Penn State has quietly spent the early part of the season leaning back into its history, and not in a subtle way. Matt Campbell has made clear he wants the program to honor the legacy of former coach Joe Paterno, with Jay Paterno around practice, Sue Paterno addressing the team, and the school opening the Paterno Family Football Experience Room as part of that broader nod to the past. Even the season opener carried a familiar visual, with the team running out under a banner tied to Paternos era.
Campbell has framed it as a matter of respecting where the program came from and the value system that helped shape it. Still, the move naturally invites a bigger conversation about how Penn State balances celebration of its football lineage with the scrutiny that comes with it, and how far the program is willing to go in reconnecting with one of the most defining figures in its history. [Read more 🡒]