ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) is the latest data model to spit out a top 25 that has Penn State in the top five. In fact, it puts the Nittany Lions right at No. 5 in its first version before the 2025 season.

If Penn State is able to maintain a top-six ranking through the end of the season, it would mark the fourth consecutive campaign with a top-six finish. Since the metric debuted in 2005, the Nittany Lions have made eight top-10 appearances, with a high of No. 4 in 2017.

The Detroit Lions took a top five spot in the first set of FPI rankings released by ESPN ahead of the 2025 NFL season.