Putting SEC below Big10, Colin Cowherd makes a bold prediction for James Franklin's Penn State

Expectations are sky-high for James Franklin and the Penn State Nittany Lions heading into the 2025 season. After finishing third in the Big Ten last year with an 8-1 conference record and 13-3, all the while taking home the conference title, the Nittany Lions are being viewed as legitimate national title contenders. Fox analyst Joel Klatt has even named the program the top team in the country.

While the expectations continue to grow, Franklin, who is approaching his 12th season with the team, is focused on strengthening Penn State’s foundation, on the field and in recruiting. On Thursday, in a conversation with Klatt, analyst Colin Cowherd gave his take on how NIL is changing recruiting and predicted what the future is for Penn State.

Cowherd said (Timeline: 4:20):

“I think the last couple of years it’s been pretty obvious when I watch Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon, these teams at the top of the Big Ten are every bit as good as the SEC, or in Michigan and Ohio State’s case, noticeably better. I think my take is Penn State’s going to play for the natty against Texas next year.

"That’s how good I think they are. I think they have a top five six quarterback. I think James Franklin’s a remarkable recruiter. They got some NIL money.”

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James Franklin on his latest recruitment

Penn State, which is returning its quarterback in Drew Allar, both running backs in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and four players on the offensive line, continues to build momentum on the recruiting trail. On Thursday, they landed a big commitment from highly-touted 2026 cornerback Jaziel Hart.

Right after the news broke last week, James Franklin posted a highlight video of Penn State on X with the caption:

"#WeAre...Better #107kStrong #PSUnrivaled."

Hart chose Penn State over several other programs, including Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.

With Hart on board, Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class now includes 17 commitments. According to On3, that puts them at No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 11 in the nation.

Along with JazielHart, the Nittany Lions have secured commitments from a few other four-star players in running back Messiah Mickens, athlete Peyton Falzone, safety Matt Sieg and wide receiver Davion Brown.

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