With college football still being out of the picture until mid to late August, we are deadlocked in the middle of the off-season. Thankfully, the new College Football video game was released last week, giving us plenty of things to take a look at in the slow period.

Penn State enters the game as the fourth-highest rated team, behind the likes of Alabama, Texas, and Ohio State. For now, the ratings appear to be correct, but only time will tell how accurate they are.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Nittany Lions are a part of a four-way tie for the best in the game at 91 overall. Texas, Ohio State, and Arizona State make up the other legs of the tie.

Overall, we agree with this rating. Since the wide receiver room was revamped with the additions of Trebor Pena from Syracuse, Devonte Ross from Troy, and Kyron Hudson from USC, it’s tough to predict how effective they will be, but the run game with Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and Drew Allar under center is as good as it gets across the nation.

On the other side of the ball, Jim Knowles’ crew is rated a 94 overall, which ranks as the second-best defense in the game, once again, tied with the Longhorns. While the ability of the first-round NFL Draft pick Abdul Carter will be missed, significant growth in the secondary and the trenches could be the reason for such a high overall.

Beaver Stadium also received praise and was graded as the second toughest environment to play at in this year’s game, behind the LSU Tigers at number one. While the debate will rage on about the hardest stadium to play in, Beaver Stadium is larger by about 4,000 seats and the host of the nationally recognized Whiteout, which should be more than enough for the No. 1 spot.

Now that we’ve looked at the basics of the roster, let’s get into the top 10 players for Penn State Football.

1. Nick Singleton – 93 Overall

Nick Singleton is often recognized as a top three running back in the country, and his rating reflects that. With great attributes such as speed, acceleration, and change of direction, he is great at attacking the perimeter with outside runs or as a pass catcher out of the backfield. He also boasts a lethal stiff arm and break tackle.

While he plays like much more than a 93 overall in gameplay, Singleton deserved a 94 or 95 overall heading into the year. He has proven since his freshman season that his playmaking ability and explosiveness match that of Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame, who sits at a 95.

2. Dani Dennis-Sutton – 92 Overall

Can someone roll the clip of his interception off of Riley Leonard in the College Football Semifinals? Dani Dennis-Sutton is a freakishly athletic stud.

His ability to use his strength to beat his man and cause havoc for the opposing quarterback complemented the secondary well last year. He leads one of the most experienced defensive lines in the nation and should expect to take a leap this season. Posting 8.5 sacks in 2024, with 4.5 of them being in the playoffs, he’s got great momentum heading into the 2025 season.

Based on that, we believe Dennis-Sutton should be a 93 Overall.

3. Drew Allar – 92 Overall

Coming off a game-sealing interception in the College Football Semifinals, Drew Allar’s critics let him have it all over social media and other platforms. Here, there will be no such slander.

Allar is tied with Cade Klubnik of Clemson and Garrett Nussemeier as the highest-rated quarterback in the game. His arm talent is some of the best in the nation, while also possessing great pocket presence.

The Medina, Ohio, native took a huge leap from the 2023 season into the 2024 season, even without great wide receiver production. Although his favorite target, Tyler Warren, has packed his bags for the Indianapolis Colts, the returning production of Luke Reynolds paired with the aforementioned incoming receivers should give Penn State fans a reason to he hopeful coming into the 2025 season. The game has the Penn State offense firing on all cylinders under Allar, and we should expect nothing less this year.

With that being said, Allar’s rating of 92 is perfect. It gives him room to show he took another step while also giving him the credit he deserves.

4. Kaytron Allen – 92 Overall

The wrecking ball of the Penn State running back room comes into this year after posting 1,000 yards rushing, like his counterpart Singleton. Kaytron Allen runs angry, causing defenders to bounce off him, and uses his sneaky agility when needed. His ability to get downhill not only in real life but in the game is scary. He also possesses a lethal stiff arm and truck animation that sends the defense face-first into the turf.

His rating of 92 overall could have been slightly lower due to the view that he is the second back for the Nittany Lions, but he should be happy with where it’s at.

5. Vega Ioane – 92 Overall

The last of the 92 club for Penn State, Vega Ioane, comes in as a redshirt junior on the offensive line and is quite the athlete. He has experience in playing not only on the defensive side of the ball in high school, but also played rugby and basketball. His agility and quick feet help him not only beat his man, but also elevate into the next level and create gaps. He was named second-team All-BIG 10 last year. In CFB 26, he is the anchor of the offensive line, and he should take on that role this upcoming season.

6. AJ Harris – 91 Overall

AJ Harris was a huge reason why the secondary was so strong last year. The Georgia transfer was lined up with the best of the best and was reliable in both man and zone coverage. He is a ball-hawk on the game and is very rarely beaten downfield. He can switch his feet due to his high agility and match receivers consistently with his speed. He is also a great downfield tackler who can make plays in the backfield or the box.

The 91 just isn’t doing it for us… give him a 93 overall EA!

7. Devonte Ross, WR – 90 Overall

Man, oh man, is Devonte Ross dynamite! Not only is he a great wide receiver in the game, but he’s got the film to back it up. The Troy transfer looks to bring some life to Penn State’s wide receiver room, which has not had a significant pulse since Jahan Dotson. Ross possesses breakaway speed, great hands, and agility that can make ur opponent miss in the open field. I hope to see him put up video game numbers like he does in my dynasties.

EA… you hit this nail on the head. Great work

8. Zakee Wheatley, SS – 90 Overall

Zakee Wheatley is versatile and, once again, a huge staple to the defensive side of the ball. He consistently gets in the box to tackle the opponent’s running back or sits up top and ball hawks the route and creates a turnover. When you need a clutch play to win the game, you can count on Zakee. He rarely misses tackles as well, just an all-around stud on the defense. This is a guy you will also sing praises for, not only in the game but for the upcoming season.

EA Sports, make this man a 92 and put some respect on his name!

9. Zane Durant, DT – 90 Overall

Zane is so underrated in this game, this man is a problem for opposing offensive lines. He consistently gets one or two sacks a game while also shutting down the run. Looking at next season, I don’t think many people know about what his capabilities are. I swear, every time I look, my opponent’s quarterback is always within two yards or less of Durant. I can’t wait to watch him also put up video game numbers next year… or at least be a huge factor on the defense.

Based on the tape, and how he plays in games, Durant could easily have been higher than a 90 overall.

10. Trebor Pena – 89 Overall

The Syracuse transfer is a shifty, speedy guy like Ross who possesses great route-running abilities on all three levels of the defense. His hands are also a strong suit of his. He often burns the opponent’s corners and gets open for deep bombs down the field. Pena has made some of the past opponents we’ve played quit the game, so we’d love to see him put up the video game numbers he puts up in my dynasties next season.

Pena is properly rated, way to round out the top 10 EA!

If you enjoyed the College Football 25 video game, we have nothing but great thoughts about this game as well. EA listened to the people and created yet another great College Football game this year. Now, it’s time to go win some games with the Nittany Lions!