The Penn State Nittany Lions made it all the way to the Rose Bowl last season, and 2017 could mean one more step towards the national title.
The 2016 version of the Penn State Nittany Lions took the college football world by storm, winning arguably one of the toughest conferences in the country. Trace McSorley displayed a never-say-die attitude during the team’s 11-3 season, leading his team to the Rose Bowl. Although they lost an instant classic to the USC Trojans, the pieces were put in place for them to do something special in 2017.
Head coach James Franklin has turned the program around, and with two legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates on offense, this team should have no trouble putting points on the scoreboard. The defense took a big hit when star cornerback John Reid injured his knee this offseason, so it will be interesting to see who can step up and fill that void. The Nittany Lions will also have some new faces on the defensive front, giving them a much different look next season.
Saquon Barkley is one of the best running backs in college football, and will likely finish this season as the school’s all-time leading rusher. Though the team lost Chris Godwin to the NFL Draft, they do have plenty of reinforcement, including Brandon Polk, who is returning from an injury that robbed him of nearly all of last season. The Big Ten is going to be loaded once again next season, but Penn State just may be the cream of the crop once again.
Penn State will have their Blue-White Spring Game on Saturday, April 22, and it will kick off at 3:00pm ET. The game will be played inside Beaver Stadium, which should play host to some incredible games during the regular season. The Nittany Lions regular season will begin on September 2, when the Akron Zips come to Happy Valley in Week 1.
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Penn State heads into the 2017 college football season with a ton of hype surrounding the program, which appears to finally be out of the shadow left by the Jerry Sandusky. James Franklin has been the perfect hire for the Nittany Lions, as his heart and discipline has rubbed off on his players. Matching last season will be tough, but this team has more than enough talent to do just that.