CBS Sports released its full FBS rankings of all 130 programs, and sees a sharp turnaround for the Nittany Lions following the 4-5 season in 2020. Penn State came in at #17, which is the third-highest ranking among Big Ten programs.
Penn State was marked as a “notable mover” after jumping up 37 spots since the final 2020 poll. Chip Patterson of CBS Sports had this to say about the optimistic view heading into the fall:
Now on his third offensive coordinator in as many years, quarterback Sean Clifford is tasked with meeting high expectations thanks to Penn State becoming a trendy pick as one of the year’s top bounce-back candidates following a 4-5 showing in 2020.