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Sorting through some Penn State related notes while coming to the realization that college football has no offseason:
You have to go back a long time -- probably since 1994 -- to recall Penn State being in a better position to contend for the national championship than the Nittany Lions are right now.
In the way-too-early Top 25 preseason rankings, Penn State currently sits anywhere between No. 5 and No. 7.
Georgia, of course, is No. 1 and will be until it's dethroned.
Ohio State and Michigan remain ahead of Penn State, which is in the mix with Alabama, Tennessee, USC and LSU, heavyweights all.
Signs point to the Lions gaining ground on the Buckeyes and Wolverines.
Granted, they lost to both last year -- to the Buckeyes in their usual excruciating fashion and a beatdown in Ann Arbor -- but a case can be made that Penn State currently has more momentum.
The Lions retained most of their key players (Adisa Isaac, Theo Johnson and Curtis Jacobs) who were considering going to the NFL.
Further, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh went through his second straight public flirtation with the NFL and is currently under NCAA investigation, and it's now being reported that he's not cooperating.
It's even worse for his co-offensive coordinator, Matt Weiss, who is under police investigation for a possible cyber crime.
Ohio State, meanwhile, must replace quarterback C.J. Stroud, and it doesn't have Drew Allar waiting in the wings, although the Buckeyes have earned the right never to be underestimated.
That said, hard as it is to believe, Ryan Day, despite being 45-6 through four seasons, has lost to Michigan two straight years and is one more defeat to UM from being on the hot seat in Columbus, which houses the Big Ten's most impatient fan base.
Penn State visits Columbus (Oct. 21) and hosts Michigan (Nov. 11).
n James Franklin's firing of receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield was surprising in that it came after a 11-2 season. But look deeper, and you'll see the Lions had lost a couple recruits at the position to go with the departure of Parker Washington, who needed another year. After news of Stubblefield hit, the Lions landed two receivers (Malik McClain/Florida State and Dante Cephas/Kent State) from the transfer portal.
n Jake Pinegar electing not to return for a sixth season will leave a void. The placekicker wasn't automatic, but he did make 49-of-67 field goals and missed just seven of 202 extra points. His range got better last year as he was 6-of-7 from 40-plus and 2-for-2 from 50. If nothing else, he was seasoned.
n Penn State's quarterback room will be quite green next year. Although hope is high for Allar, there is nothing close to an experienced backup on the roster, which includes redshirt freshman Beau Pribula and incoming freshman Jaxon Smolik of Iowa.
n I'm not sure I'll ever get used to, or even like, the excessive NIL deals, but that's where we are. Stroud made a reported $2.8 million at Ohio State last year -- behind Alabama's Bryce Young and USC's Caleb Williams. Stroud then turned down a reported $4 million in NIL money to leave Ohio State.
n When colleges are competing financially with the NFL for players, something needs to be fixed, and I'm sure the NCAA will get right on it.
n Anybody else notice that Notre Dame has both Southern Cal and Ohio State at home next year? If the Irish win both, they'll be in the CFP playoffs.
n Penn State finished No. 7 in the final coaches poll and Pitt wound up 22nd. Interestingly, though, Pat Narduzzi voted PSU No. 9 behind Washington (11-2) and Clemson (11-3). Franklin didn't vote for Pitt at all, even slotting UCLA ahead of the Panthers, who beat the Bruins in the Sun Bowl. Good to know Franklin still doesn't think Penn State and Pitt are rivals.
Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.