After reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals, Penn State projects as a top-5 team in 2025.

See where the Nittany Lions landed in the season's final rankings after setting a school-record for victories.

Penn State received 1,203 points in the final AP Top 25 poll, just eight behind Texas for fourth. Ohio State was No. 1, followed by Notre Dame and Oregon. Penn State has finished in the AP top 10 five times in James Franklin's 11 seasons as head coach. Franklin's teams have seven top-20 finishes since 2016.

Penn State didn’t reach its ultimate goal of winning a national championship in 2024, but head coach James Franklin and his team still put together one of the best seasons in program history, going 13-3 and reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals.

The Lions247 team has its finger on the pulse of Penn State transfer portal news, recruiting, coaching staff moves and more after James Franklin's squad was eliminated in the semifinals of the College

Penn State head coach James Franklin isn't too pleased with Notre Dame's independent status heading into the Orange Bowl.

I understand the argument against. Franklin is 101-42 during his time at Penn State and has led them to six 11-win seasons, a Big Ten Championship and a bowl game in every year but one. However, at what point does it get impossible to defend his failure to beat the teams better than Penn State each year?

College football’s bards mused this playoff lacked a dominant team, like 2019 LSU or 2020 Alabama, although Ohio State ... James Franklin. His baggage in big games introduces an overdose of doubt toward the Nittany Lions. Why do sportsbooks give Penn ...

James Franklin had to feel that his Penn State Nittany Lions could taste their berth in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. And why wouldn'

Penn State needs a new defensive coordinator for the third time in four years, as Tom Allen leaves for Clemson after one season with the Nittany Lions. Expect James Franklin and the Nittany Lions to evaluate external and internal candidates for the job.

It's Penn State vs Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal. Follow along for live score and game updates from the Orange Bowl:

The Nittany Lions won 13 games, claimed two playoff victories and were this close to playing for the national championship.