Mark Ingram downplays Penn State as a serious contender from the Big Ten: 'I gotta see it to believe it'

This is an incredibly important season for the Penn State Nittany Lions. After making it to the College Football Playoff semifinal in 2024, the Nittany Lions returned several key players and came into the 2025 season positioned to win the Big Ten and make a potential national championship run.

Despite those high expectations and currently being ranked second in the AP Poll, not everyone is sold on Penn State. That includes former Alabama running back and current analyst Mark Ingram. Instead, he’s in wait-and-see mode on the Nittany Lions.

Penn State came up during The Triple Option podcast. There, Ingram was comparing the SEC and the Big Ten this season, and he initially overlooked the Nittany Lions for Ohio State.

“Last two national champions have come out of the Big Ten,” Ingram said. “Michigan is whatever, but the Big Ten needs to — Ohio State is carrying the Big Ten right now. Ohio State is literally carrying the Big Ten.”

At that point, Rob Stone jumped in to remind Mark Ingram about Oregon and Penn State. The pair are sitting beside Ohio State at the top of the Big Ten this season and in recent seasons. Despite that, Ingram dismissed Penn State for the time being.

“And who? Oh, my gosh,” Ingram said. “I’ve got to see it to believe. Alright? I’ve still got to see it to believe it with Penn State.”

Penn State has opened the season with two Group of Five opponents, Nevada and FIU. Even with a slow start in Week 2 against FIU, the Nittany Lions have won those games by a combined score of 80-11. That light non-conference slate continues in Week 3 against FCS Villanova. After that, with Big Ten play opening, Penn State is going to immediately be tested with the Oregon Ducks traveling to Happy Valley. That’s a game that should give Ingram some insight into just how legitimate Penn State is this season.

Ultimately, Penn State does seem positioned to make another College Football Playoff run and potentially become the third different Big Ten team to win a national championship in as many seasons. Of course, as Ingram knows, the entire SEC wants to stop that run.

“I think the Big Ten’s top three teams can easily compete with the SEC’s top three teams,” Ingram said. “Where it wasn’t like that in the past. Five years ago, there was kind of a separation. Kind of Ohio State only. Now, you have Penn State, Oregon, Michigan with this Bryce Underwood. We’ll see how they develop. But, when you talk about depth as a conference, the SEC by far. They have 11 teams in the Top 25 right now, as opposed to the Big Ten has six. So, the top of the league, I think, is very close, so I’ll give it to the Big Ten right now. Big Ten number one because they have the last two national champions. Ohio State beat Texas. So, recently, I’ll give it to the Big Ten right now.”

Amid all of the success that the Big Ten has had recently, it’s been since 2016 that the Nittany Lions have won the conference and 1986 since their last national championship. Regardless of the level of competition they’ve seen so far, this year’s Nittany Lions team appears capable of ending those droughts.