Penn State has one of the 'easiest' non-conference schedules in college football: Newsstand

Penn State news, notes, and updates for July 20 include the toughest and easiest non-conference schedules, headlines of the day, and more. The Nittany Lions unsurprisingly fall into the latter category in an analysis from On3 national college football and transfer portal reporter Pete Nakos.

“The Nittany Lions are viewed as the potential No. 1 team entering the 2025 season, but they do not face a single Power Four opponent in nonconference. Penn State has built out a noncon schedule that features Nevada, FIU and Villanova,” Nakos writes.

The two FBS foes are near the bottom of Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings for ESPN, while the Wildcats are an FCS program, of course. Former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, meanwhile, and his Duke program find themselves on the other side of the list.

“Manny Diaz has his quarterback of the future in Darian Mensah, but the Blue Devils have a notable nonconference slate,” Nakos writes. “Duke opens the year at home against Elon, then hosts Illinois in one of the top nonconference matchups of the college football season. The Blue Devils then hit the road for games at Tulane and UConn — two programs that both made bowl games in 2024.”

You can read the full story here.

Penn State headlines of the day

Penn State strength coach Chuck Losey aims to improve transfer receiver Trebor Pena ‘s “speed and ability to be dynamic on the field”: Carr, BWI

PSU CB AJ Harris putting team goals above his own, feels ‘our whole secondary has the potential to be the best secondary in the country’: Pickel, BWI

After Luke Lilledahl wins Budapest Ranking Series gold, what’s next for Penn State wrestling this offseason?: Pickel, BWI

Penn State’s three strongest position groups heading into fall camp: Carr, BWI

How is Beaver Stadium looking six weeks before Penn State football returns? Take a look here: PHOTOS: Pickel, BWI

Quote of the day

“I feel like Zion Tracy is going to be an elite nickel corner. I feel like he’s a great DB. He could really play anywhere in the secondary. To be quite frank with you, I feel like our whole secondary has the potential to be the best secondary in the country. We have Elliot [Washington], we have AC Collins, we have Zakee Wheatley, who’s more of a veteran, one of the older guys in the room. And then we still got guys like [freshman] Daryus Dixson, that just came in that is along with us. So it’s a lot of people in that room that I feel deserve more respect than what than what we get at Penn State.”

PSU CB AJ Harris to BWI.