Ohio State coach Ryan Day spent the weekend celebrating the program's ninth national championship, a crowning achievement for a group that had operated like one of the best teams in the country all year and then played some of its best football in the biggest moments with a challenging run through the College Football Playoff.

James Franklin, Pat Narduzzi, Mike Locksley and other coaches had different rankings for Penn State in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

Penn State's historic 2024-25 season comes to an official close with the final US LBM Coaches Poll. See how James Franklin voted.

Former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is reportedly headed to Penn State to serve in the same role, and Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin shared a message in response to the major news.

ESPN kept it simple by picking all of the home teams in the first round. Basically, until proven otherwise, home field advantage is a real thing in the first round of the 12-team playoff. By the way, Michigan beating Ohio State, essentially, back to back weeks in Ann Arbor? The scenes!

I look forward to working with this tremendous staff and group of student-athletes and am ready to get to work,” Jim Knowles said in a written statement.

The go-big hire of Ohio State's Jim Knowles signals a shift for Penn State football: Why it means so much now and later

Newly crowned college football national champion Ohio State has already been set as the favorite to win the title again next season.

Penn State. Thirty-nine years after their last title, the Nittany Lions will defeat Georgia for the CFP title, Connelly writes for ESPN. In addition, Connelly predicts that Penn State will win their second Big Ten title under head coach James Franklin.

The Athletic's Stewart Mandel is a preseason Penn State believer, placing the Nittany Lions atop his too-early top 25 for 2025. "I'm skeptical they can actually pull it off," Mandel writes, "but on paper, James Franklin's team deserves that status given how many players are returning."

Can the Buckeyes repeat? Will Penn State breakthrough? Is Arch Manning the guy? Let's evaluate the toughest challenges for each CFP team entering next season.