Penn State offense and defense ranked top 3 in EA Sports College Football 26
The highly anticipated EA Sports College Football 26 numbers are in, and for the second consecutive year, Penn State placed highly.
The Nittany Lions earned a 88 overall roster ranking, which placed them as the No. 4 overall team in the game, behind No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State. It's important to note no team was higher than an 89 overall.
Broken down by units, Penn State's defense led the way with a 94 overall ranking, good for third place behind the Crimson Tide and Longhorns. It was the best-rated defense in the Big Ten, followed closely by Ohio State at No. 5, Michigan at No. 6 and Oregon at No. 7.
Offensively, the Nittany Lions earned a 91, which was the second highest ranking behind Texas, which also had a 91. Penn State came in one spot above Ohio State, which also graded as a 91, while the next highest Big Ten team was No. 11 Indiana.
Penn State's respectable rankings on both sides of the field are representative of the amount of on-field talent its accumulated ahead of the 2025 campaign. With returning stars across the board and some top transfer additions, the Nittany Lions certainly have one of the best rosters on paper, something reflected in the game rankings.
Based solely on overall team rankings, Penn State is higher than 11 of the teams it plays next season, with the Buckeyes being the only exception. If that plays out on the field, the Nittany Lions will be well on their way to another College Football Playoff appearance and likely a deep run.
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