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College Football: 10 teams poised to be better in 2016

By John Buhler

Apr 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during the spring game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during the spring game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 29, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on prior to the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Though the Penn State Nittany Lions play in a tremendously top-heavy Big 10 East Division with the likes of the Michigan Wolverines, the Michigan State Spartans, and the Ohio State Buckeyes, there is a great chance that the 2016 Nittany Lions do better than their 7-6 (4-4) record from last year.

There are three reasons that Penn State will be better than it was last fall:

1.) This will be head coach James Franklin’s third season in University Park, meaning he will have had the time to recruit some of his own players to build his program around. If he can turn Vanderbilt into a ranked team in the SEC East, he can certainly do the same at Penn State.

2.) This might sound painful to fans of Penn State, but it will be an addition by subtraction to not have an inaccurate passer like Christian Hackenberg at quarterback this fall. He completed under 60% of his passes as a sophomore and junior starter for the Nittany Lions; not what one would expect out of the No. 1 quarterback in the 2013 high school graduating class.

3.) Even with Penn State’s daunting divisional rivals, the Nittany Lions should easily be the favorites to win six of their 12 games this season: Kent State, Minnesota, Maryland, at Purdue, at Indiana, at Rutgers.

Franklin coached teams usually rise to the challenge against superior competition, so it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for them to knock off one of the three East Division juggernauts or a very good Iowa Hawkeyes team at home. Penn State should also be in the mix to beat two other good teams in the Temple Owls and the Pittsburgh Panthers in the non-conference.

Penn State’s annual slate of games is particularly brutal with how well the Buckeyes, Spartans, and Wolverines are every year. The Nittany Lions will have their bumps and bruises along the way, but an 8-4 to as high as a 9-3 season could be within reach. They might finish 7-5 or 6-6, but it’ll be a more unified team under Franklin in 2016 than last year.

Next: 8. Vanderbilt Commodores.

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