ESPN analyst names X factor for Penn State’s 2025 season

ESPN has spent the offseason taking stock of the major contenders for the 2025 college football season. Now, ESPN’s top analysts are ready to identify the top X factors for every top team this fall.

At Penn State, the Nittany Lions are gearing up to be one of the top-ranked teams in preseason polls. After falling just short in the College Football Playoff semifinals, James Franklin and his group return some star firepower on offense and enough key components on defense to go with an impressive assistant coaching staff.

One of the key pieces back for Penn State is quarterback Drew Allar, who enters his 3rd season as the starter for Franklin’s program. Overall, it is his 2nd season working in Andy Kotelnicki’s system, and many hope that it will result in yet another jump for Allar’s overall performance.

For ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, that is also the key X factor for Penn State this fall. If Allar cannot take another big step, especially in how he performs in big games, the Nittany Lions will find it tough to get over the hump yet again.

Here’s what Rittenberg had to say about Allar in big games:

Penn State enters what appears to be an all-in season, and Allar has the ingredients to be the top NFL quarterback prospect for the 2026 draft. But his play under the brightest of lights has left something to be desired. He hasn’t beaten Ohio State or Michigan, he delivered some good moments in a Big Ten championship game loss to Oregon but was still intercepted twice, and threw the crucial interception in a CFP semifinal loss to Notre Dame. Penn State has made the necessary investments around Allar, who will share a backfield with probably the nation’s top running back tandem. The time has come for the senior to be at his best in the biggest moments. If he delivers, Penn State will have a real chance at its first national title since 1986.

Penn State trails just Texas and Ohio State in the preseason national title odds produced by BetMGM, and the Nittany Lions are tied with Georgia at +700 overall to win the national title. If Allar can live up to his hype, look out for Franklin leading PSU to the promised land.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.