Where does Penn State rank in the preseason USA Today Coaches poll?

Expectations continue to be set high for Penn State football in 2025. The preseason USA Today Coaches Poll is the latest example. The Nittany Lions are No. 3 in the first top 25. It was released on Monday afternoon. Head coach James Franklin’s team is behind only Texas and Ohio State. Georgia and Notre Dame round out the top five in that order. The Longhorns received 68 first place votes. The Buckeyes got 20, and PSU 14.

While Franklin is a voter in the poll, he and his players are on the record saying that they aren’t focused on external opinions ahead of what is the most hyped season of the 12th-year leader of the Lions tenure in State College.

“It’s a great conversation, but who really cares about preseason rankings? They mean nothing,” Franklin said at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas. “It’s a good argument to have and everybody has fun with it, but the only rankings that matter are the ones that happen at the end of the season, and that’s what we’re concerned about. The only way we’ll do that is by handling our business today.”

He doubled down on those comments at the team’s local media day back on Saturday.

More: Penn State puts six on Pro Football Focus’ preseason All-Big Ten team

“I will say this: All the hard work that they have done, the number of guys that decided to come back, they have earned those types of conversations and that attention,” Franklin said. “But I would also say to you, which I think you heard me say before, again, no one, no one cares about preseason rankings. Like, I’m not going to frame the preseason rankings and put it in my basement in the man cave. No one cares. No one cares.

“All that’s wonderful. We want to spend our time working on the things that are going to allow us to do the things we want to do this year, starting with Nevada and creating the habits and behaviors that will get us there. Not talking about not — not spending a ton of time talking about goals and those type of things. Place a place for it but we’re focused on what we have to do to have the type of season that we want to have.”

Here’s the full USA Today preseason coaches poll top 25

Here is the complete list:

1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Clemson
7. Oregon
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Miami
11. Arizona State
12. Illinois
13. South Carolina
14. Michigan
15. Ole Miss
16. SMU
17. Florida
18. Tennessee
19. Indiana
20. Kansas State
21. Texas A&M
22. Iowa State
23. BYU
24. Texas Tech
25. Boise State