There’s one month separating fans from EA Sports College Football 26. Soon enough, they’ll know who EA considers the best teams in the country.

Ahead of last year’s release, Penn State drew an 88 overall rating with an 87 overall offense and 88 overall defense. With a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance to show for, the Nittany Lions finished the year with a 92 overall.

With a successful season and addition of receivers Trebor Peña, Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross and linebacker Amare Campbell in mind, our staff debated where Penn State will be ranked prior to the July 10 launch.

Lyle Alenstein

Offense: 93

Penn State’s offense did lose Mackey Award winner in tight end Tyler Warren to the NFL as well as three-year starter at right guard in Sal Wormley, but the Nittany Lions arguably have a better offensive attack heading into the 2025 campaign.

It returns four of five starters on the offensive line, with Cooper Cousins likely sliding into the right guard spot after a freshman campaign where he received nothing but positive praise. Warren’s production will be hard to replicate, but between the hype of Luke Reynolds, the veteran presence of Khalil Dinkins and a healthy Andrew Rappleyea, the tight end room is in good hands.

Drew Allar returns for his senior year and third campaign as a starter with a trio of new transfer wide receivers in Peña, Hudson and Ross, all of whom have produced at the collegiate level at a rate that Allar hasn’t had at the position in the past. On top of the new wideouts, he returns arguably the best running back duo in college football in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

On top of all the returning pieces, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s second year should result in an uptick in production, giving Penn State’s offense a boost not only on the field but in the EA ratings department.

Defense: 87

Just like on the offensive side of the ball, Penn State lost its best player from 2024 on defense to the NFL in defensive end Abdul Carter. Unlike the offense however, the Nittany Lions saw more turnover on defense, as it lost safeties Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr., defensive tackles Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard, linebacker Kobe King and cornerback Jalen Kimber to the NFL.

Despite the departures, Penn State’s defense has been its strength in recent memory regardless of losses, as the depth behind it picks off right where the other players left off.

Campbell should fill the void that King left, cornerback Audavion Collins will step in for Kimber, while King Mack will likely step into a starting safety role. Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and safety Zakee Wheatley return to starting roles after impressive seasons, while cornerback A.J. Harris has more than a good chance to become Penn State’s first cornerback selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

There’s question marks at defensive tackle, paired with experience concerns at linebacker outside Campbell, Tony Rojas and Dom DeLuca, but the addition of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles should have the defense amongst one of the best in the country again and a favorable rating in the game.

Overall: 90

Avery Hill

Offense: 91

Most of Penn State’s feature players are back. With Nick Singleton serving as one of the deluxe edition cover athletes, he should get a big jolt to his rating. The offensive line should be key to this rating too, as I’d expect it to have at least eight players eclipsing an 80 overall.

The receiving room might have left plenty of question marks but Penn State answered them with Hudson, Peña and Ross. The trio clocked 81, 86 and 88 overalls, respectively, on last year’s game, so expect a favorable rating to boost Penn State.

The tight end room is one I expect to not get an initial favorable ranking, but it’ll certainly grow as the nation gets to know Luke Reynolds and Khalil Dinkins throughout the year. Still, Penn State’s offense is deep in many areas and it’s likely it’ll have multiple players who rank in the top-five of players at their positions in the initial ratings release.

Defense: 92

There’s an argument for Penn State’s defense to be ranked lower than the offense, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. While the losses of Abdul Carter, Kobe King, Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr. are important, it’s likely EA leans into historical trends and expects new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to take the defense to another level.

After allowing 16.5 points per game and shutting down Maxwell Award winner Ashton Jeanty in the Fiesta Bowl, Penn State’s defense should receive more love than people think.

It’ll be interesting to see where defensive tackle Zane Durant is rated, but he along with cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton should be among the highest rated of the team.

Campbell finished his UNC career at an 83 overall, so though there’s questions remaining in the linebacker room, it shouldn’t affect the defense as much as it would without Campbell.

Penn State’s defensive backs should be its strongpoint, with Harris along with Elliot Washington ll, Audavion Collins, Zakee Wheatley and DeJuan Lane all getting the chance for a ratings boost with another year of experience.

Overall: 91

Will Horstman

Offense: 92

Heading into 2025, there’s a lot to like about Penn State’s offense. Quarterback Drew Allar is returning for his senior year and so are running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, which should give the Nittany Lions’ rating a boost.

The offensive line is also returning talent as Penn State only projects to have one new starter in the group — right guard Cooper Cousins. Paired with good depth for the group, 2025 could be the best offensive line under James Franklin.

As for the tight ends and wide receivers, there will be some players in starting roles for the first time with Penn State. Still, both positions have a quality chance to be productive.

Tight ends Khalil Dinkins, Luke Reynolds and Andrew Rappleyea might not be as good as 2024 John Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren, but they all offer the potential to keep their position group a strength for the Nittany Lions.

The receiver room has been a struggle as of late, but with the offseason additions of Devonte Ross, Kyron Hudson and Trebor Peña, Penn State did a fine job to attempt to correct those issues.

Defense: 90

Since the turn of the decade, Penn State’s defense has typically been better than its offense. However, 2025 could mark a change, as with defensive end Abdul Carter, safety Kevin Winston Jr., safety Jaylen Reed, linebacker Kobe King and cornerback Jalen Kimber all in the NFL, the Nittany Lions’ defense will have a bit of a new look to it.

Some young defensive backs will see more playing time, such as Dejuan Lane and King Mack, while veteran Zakee Wheatley will lead the group. UNC transfer linebacker Amare Campbell gives Penn State a similar skill set to King, so he should fill in nicely.

Of course, the returning talent of defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, linebacker Tony Rojas, linebacker Dom DeLuca, cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive tackle Zane Durant were all valuable players last season, which should be the same this year.

While it had to deal with more turnover than the offense, this year’s defense still projects as a strength, especially with defensive coordinator Jim Knowles entering his first season with the team. Even if it ends up being rated below the offense, I still see the defense breaking 90 overall.

Overall: 91

Lexie Linderman

Offense: 93

Penn State’s offense is set to look very similar, but yet different in 2025. Only one starter departed from the offensive line, while the backfield is a mirror image with Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen back for Year 4.

Last season, the Nittany Lions’ offense earned a rating of 87, but that was with a subpar wide receiver room — the additions of Devonte Ross, Kyron Hudson and Trebor Peña will certainly provide a ratings boost on the offensive side of the ball.

However, the departure of Tyler Warren will cause a dip in the ratings of Penn State’s tight end room. Khalil Dinkins was rated a 78 last season, while Luke Reynolds earned himself a 79. Reynolds and Dinkins will likely have slightly higher ratings, but that still won’t be enough to make up for Warren’s absence.

Taking into account Allar, Singleton, Allen and more of the offense having another year of experience, the rating for the Nittany Lions’ offense should take a jump regardless.

Defense: 89

While Penn State will enter 2025 without Abdul Carter, Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr., its defense still has plenty of talent.

Defensive tackle Zane Durant, cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton could very well be All-Americans in 2025 and their ratings should reflect that, giving the defense’s overall rating a boost.

Safety Zakee Wheatley is also back for another season. He was rated at 80 overall last year, but that number should see an increase, as Wheatley put together a strong 2024 campaign and is now leading the Nittany Lions’ safety room.

It’ll be interesting to see how the ratings for Penn State’s linebackers shape up, but expect Tony Rojas and Amare Campbell to have numbers somewhere in the 80s.

Overall: 92

MORE FOOTBALL CONTENT

EASTON, Mass. (June 5, 2025) – Postgraduate forward Josie Mendeszoon of the Stonehill College women’s ice hockey team has signed a professional contract with Järnbrott HK, a member of the NDHL — a professional women’s hockey league based in Sweden.
 
“It has been an honor and a privilege to coach Josie over the last two years,” said head coach Lee-J Mirasolo. “She works her tail off every practice and every shift. Beyond that, Josie is the type of person who will run through a brick wall for her teammates on the rink and away from it. She has certainly left the program in a better place than she found three short years ago. We are going to miss her at Stonehill, but we are excited to watch what she does next.”
 
Mendeszoon served as a co-captain during the 2024-25 season, alongside junior defender Sydney Russell and junior forward Brianna Walkom. A foundational member of Stonehill’s inaugural roster in 2022-23, she played an instrumental role in the program’s rapid ascent, highlighted by capturing its first New England Women’s Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2023-24.
 
A NEWHA Player of the Week honoree during her junior campaign, Mendeszoon appeared in 113 games over three seasons, recording 34 career points on 10 goals and 24 assists. Her most productive season came in 2023-24, when she posted a career-high 21 points (6 goals, 15 assists).
 
Originally debuting as a defender during the Skyhawks’ inaugural season, Mendeszoon transitioned into one of the team’s top centers. She finished her collegiate career with 584 faceoff wins and an even .500 faceoff winning percentage, while also contributing 46 blocked shots and 166 shots on goal.
 
“I can’t help but celebrate my teammates, coaches, and support staff in this moment because without them, I wouldn’t be the player or person they have pushed me to become today,” said Mendeszoon. “It has always been a dream of mine to play Division I, and not only has Stonehill provided that in flying colors, but now I am blessed with the opportunity to live another dream, playing at the professional level.”
 
“Stonehill has left me full of indispensable lessons and memories,” continued Mendeszoon. “While it is tough to swallow my time here has come to an end, I feel such gratitude, privilege, and pride to honor the Stonehill name and the legacy of what it means to be a Skyhawk in this next chapter.”
 
Mendeszoon now joins a Järnbrotts HK team that concluded the 2024-25 season with a 10-5 record. She becomes the third player in program history to sign a professional contract, following former captains Grace Parker and Katie Sonntag. Parker continued her career with Färjestad BK of Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan – Division 1, while Sonntag signed with HC Davos of the Swiss Women’s Hockey League (SWHL).
 
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

When Justice Haynes traded crimson for maize and blue, Michigan fans expected game-changing runs. What they didn’t expect? A business move just as explosive.

Haynes, the former Alabama running back and one of the top transfers of 2025, has inked a unique NIL deal with Loom Juices, not just as a brand ambassador, but as an equity stakeholder. That’s right: the Wolverines’ rising star now owns part of the brand.

“This partnership exemplifies how athletes can leverage their platforms for meaningful, long-term brand engagements,” said Haynes’ agent, Dan Everett.

In a landscape flooded with apparel deals and one-off endorsements, Haynes’ agreement stands out. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, the deal positions the 5-foot-11, 205-pound back not only as a face of Loom’s health-focused mission, but as a strategic partner. For Loom, which targets a younger, wellness-conscious demographic, Haynes is the ideal match.

Bill Belichick Breaks Silence on NIL Chaos originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

When a six-time Super Bowl champion like Bill Belichick speaks, the sports world listens and this time, it’s not about the NFL, but the chaos surrounding college football’s NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era.

Advertisement

Belichick, who stunned fans by returning to the college sidelines this spring as head coach of North Carolina, didn’t mince words when asked about the state of NIL during the ACC Spring Meetings. With the highly anticipated House v. NCAA settlement still pending after nearly a month on U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken’s desk, the legendary coach made his stance clear.

“For me, it’s really pretty simple: I’d say, tell me what the rules are and then we’ll play by them,” Belichick told ESPN’s Rece Davis on the College GameDay Podcast. “Right now a lot of it is up in the air.”

Belichick, now 73 and in his first college role since the 1970s, is entering this new chapter amidst massive uncertainty. More than 2,000 athletes entered the football transfer portal in 2024 alone, and the current NIL landscape is largely unregulated which is fueling concerns among coaches and administrators across the country.

If approved, the House settlement is expected to reshape enforcement through a newly formed College Sports Commission. Power Four conferences have already drafted new membership contracts that would bind schools to future decisions by this independent body in an attempt to stabilize the current free-for-all.

“Whatever it is… we’ll figure it out,” Belichick added. “But I’d say right now it’s a lot of ‘we’re not sure.’… I think things will settle eventually.”

Advertisement

His comments echo sentiments from fellow ACC coach Dabo Swinney, who simply stated, “We just want some rules.”

The anticipation for clarity is palpable. With the NCAA expected to relinquish enforcement power to this new commission, coaches like Belichick are asking for one thing: a clear rulebook.

Belichick isn’t just adjusting to college football, he’s calling for its transformation. And until there’s structure, even the greatest minds in football are left waiting.

Related: Former Kentucky Great Has Words About NIL: “I’m Glad I Didn’t Play in That Era”

Related: Former Ivy League Star Turns Heads With Groundbreaking $6 Million NIL Deal

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.