Back to the Penn State Nittany Lions Newsfeed

This Nittany Lion archvillain might foreshadow Penn State's playoff performance

Penn State football's biggest rival in the 2025 regular season is Ohio State's Ryan Day, who's undefeated against the Nittany Lions. Week 10's outcome will indicate James Franklin's postseason run.

Ohio State football running back TreVeyon Henderson and Penn State football linebacker Dominic DeLuca in 2024 | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State football has a number of hurdles, must-wins, and piling pressure for the 2025-26 season. While every game is important, especially against top ranked teams, ESPN's Jake Trotter believes there's one "archvillain" facing head coach James Franklin — the reigning national champions.