Joel Klatt lists reasons Penn State is a playoff contender going into 2023

The 2022 College Football Playoffs produced a spectacular set of semifinal games, the kind that surely had college programs around the country licking their chops thinking ‘what if?’ FOX analyst Joel Klatt sees one program he thinks can answer that question and become a 2023 playoff team: Penn State.

Klatt discussed the various reasons why he thinks the Nittany Lions are a bona fide playoff contender next season.

“Penn State, this is a team that feels like they’ve got their quarterback back even though he wasn’t a starter,” Klatt said. “Drew Allar is a guy that they were salivating over all year.”

Allar played second-fiddle to Sean Clifford in 2022, despite getting glimpses of action at various points.

He finished the year 35-of-60 passing for 344 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran 18 times for 52 yards and a score.

With that backdrop offensively, Klatt likes what the Nittany Lions bring to the table.

“They’ve got great young talent,” Klatt said. “Good veteran presence on the offensive line coming back. They’ve got all their coordinators back. Manny Diaz worked out on the defensive side. (Mike) Yurcich will be now in his third year. James Franklin has recruited well. Penn State, maybe this is their year in the Big Ten East.”

JD PicKell also high on Penn State playoff chances

On3 analyst JD PicKell has also joined the Penn State playoff bandwagon going into 2023. He discussed his outlook on the Nittany Lions recently on On3’s YouTube channel.

“Now they enter into the Drew Allar era,” PicKell said. “I was talking to Charles Power, Director of scouting ranks for On3 … and he is very high on Penn State. And one of the things that I think was interesting that Charles said is they’re in a year where a lot of their top talent will cycle up. Now what does he mean by that? They have guys like Nick Singleton, Abdul Carter, Kaytron Allen, where they’re all going to get a year further along in their development process. They get a whole ‘nother offseason to work on speed to get more comfortable in the system to get some more size on them. 

“They’re in a special place where they’re going to get developed, and now have a chance to translate it out onto the field and it’s marrying up perfectly where it’s a lot of the roster cycling up at the right time. Sometimes you get one or two guys cycling up, in terms of like I just said the maturation development happens for another year, but they’re in a place where a lot of the top talent will cycle up.”