After a strong 2022 season, Penn State football came out of the gate ranked No. 7 in the first AP Top 25 Poll of the 2023 college football season Monday.

This marks the program’s return to the top 25 of the AP’s annual preseason poll. The Nittany Lions were unranked in last season’s edition, snapping their five-year streak ranked among the best of college football.

Despite an unranked start to the season in 2022, the Nittany Lions jumped to No. 22 following triumphs over Purdue and Ohio. Penn State remained within the AP Top 25 for the remainder of the season and finished at No. 7 after the team’s 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory. That ranking marked James Franklin’s fourth top-10 finish during his time in Happy Valley.

Now, Franklin’s squad is one of four Big Ten teams within the top 25, including Michigan (No. 2), Ohio State (No. 3), Wisconsin (No. 21), and Iowa (No. 25). Additionally, Minnesota and Illinois received votes.

Meanwhile, the USA Today Coaches Poll ranked Penn State No. 7 alongside Michigan (No. 2), Ohio State (No. 4), and Wisconsin (No. 21).

Penn State’s first game of the 2023 season is set against West Virginia and slated for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 2, at Beaver Stadium. The matchup, which is a “helmet stripe” theme, is set to be televised on NBC.