Penn State puts pair on 2025 Associated Press college football All-American teams

Penn State does not have a first-team Associated Press All-American in 2025. But, a pair of Nittany Lions did make the second and third teams on Monday. Guard Vega Ioane is part of the former. Running back Kaytron Allen is a member of the latter. Both are being recognized after the preseason No. 2 team in the country finished 6-6. It’s fair to say that few players on the team played like they were expected to. But, Ioane and Allen certainly did. The former is seen as a likely first round NFL Draft pick. And, the latter is the Lions’ all-time leader in rushing attempts and yards after four seasons in State College. Both will play next in the Senior Bowl. Only Ioane has opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl so far.

“I’m still just trying to wrap my head around it and I’ve just been trying to take it one game at a time,” Allen said in November after making Penn State history. “Unfortunately, the season hasn’t gone as planned. If we could have been winning the whole season and not get the record, I’d rather do that than get my record, but I’m just glad I got an opportunity to do this. I’m just grateful for my team.

“It’s special because it went back to all the winter workouts and things like that. Pushing each other and feeding off each other. It just means a lot. He’s my brother, and we are just tight. We are always talking to each other and things like that. Off the field and on the field. He has helped me grow and I hope I have helped him grow on the field and outside the field. That’s my brother and that’s for sure.”

Which Penn State players are opting out of the Pinstripe Bowl?

As of the morning of Dec. 14, the number currently stands at four. Defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley have already declared for the NFL Draft. Neither will stick around for the Pinstripe Bowl. Nick Singleton will travel with the team to the game, per The Reading Eagle, but will not play. And, Vega Ioane is out for the postseason, as well.

Additional opt-outs are likely in the days ahead.

“The process is the same as anything,” interim head coach Terry Smith said on Dec. 9. “It’s going to be the next man up. The standard is the result. We’ll field a team that’s going to be ready to compete. We have our work cut out for us to play against Clemson, but we’re going to put a product out there on the field that’s representative of Penn State.

“We’re going to play really hard and play really tough, and we’re going to get after it. Then the result will be the result, but the next man up has to deliver the job.”