Entering the 2026 college football season, Penn State continues to be a bit of a mystery or a wild card. The Nittany Lions have a reworked roster and a new coaching staff after a disappointing 2025 season, but a favorable schedule and a good mix of players from the transfer portal and returning talent make Penn State one of the more interesting teams to forecast. Will they be a College Football Playoff contender or a bottom half of the top-25 caliber program (or worse)? That remains to be seen, but the new season will be starting up soon to give us all a better sense for this team.
College football analyst Josh Pate has become one of the leading voices in college football commentary with his fresh take and outlook on the sport. This week Pate shared
his initial college football ratings, based on a computer model using stats and trends he and his staff prefer to use. So where does Penn State fit in Pate's college football model for the 2026 season?
Penn State is ranked No. 21 in Josh Pate's preseason power ratings poll.
"Penn State will be ranked a little bit higher than they are power rated," Pate said, noting his computer ratings will have the Nittany Lions scored lower than the team will appear in the traditional rankings. Case in point, Penn State debuted at No. 17 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll. The preseason AP Top 25 is scheduled to be released this week.
Teams appearing on Penn State's schedule that were ranked on Pate's rating system included No. 13 USC, No. 15 Michigan, and No. 25 Washington.
Penn State's season kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 5 at home against Marshall.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Where Penn State ranks in Josh Pate's preseason ratings
