The View from Number Two: Promise, Peril, and Joy in the Journey
Penn State football hasn’t seen a number this small next to its name this early for a very long time.
The Nittany Lions open the 2025 season ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll, a first for the program, which last reached the two-spot in October of 2017, only to lose it weeks later in Columbus. In terms of the preseason, State has not been rated this highly since the ill-fated 1999 team began the year ranked third. Perhaps even more striking than the ranking itself is the number of first-place votes awarded to the Lions (23), only two shy of No. 1 Texas! This show of faith from the nation’s voters that James Franklin’s squad belongs near the top of college football is both a compliment and a burden.
Fotis Fan Club: Alum on a Mission
Penn State didn’t just hire a new provost. We got one of our own back — and he’s not here to dust off the old playbook. Fotis Sotiropoulos, Class of “Life-Changing Experience,” has lived the Penn State story: first-generation student from Athens, Greece → world-class academic leader → now back to transform the product we’re putting into the world.
True Grit, Real Glory—Penn State’s Adaptive Athletes Redefine What It Means to Compete
Saturday night, in a chandeliered ballroom of the Nittany Lion Inn, something quietly revolutionary happened.
While stories from Joe Paterno’s storied 1966 recruiting class flowed with ease and humor—Hall of Famer Lydell Mitchell, Chuck Burkhart, Moose Koegel, and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Mike Reid shared laughter, legacy, and lessons—the night’s true heartbeat belonged to a new generation of Penn Staters. A generation of athletes whose names you might not know yet, but whose courage and grit are writing the next chapter of Penn State history.
Penn State Football: 10 Storylines to Watch in 2025
We’re getting close. Penn State football opens camp today. James Franklin, his staff, and the players meet the press this Saturday for the annual Football Media Day. Other teams in the Franklin era have entered the season with lofty expectations, but not since before the 1999 season has the national hype around the Nittany Lions matched the local fervor. We all hope 2025 has a happier ending than that ill-fated ’99 campaign, which saw the team start 9-0 before dropping three games in a row. To escape the shadows of their past – both distant and recent – an experienced roster that boasts as much talent and depth as Franklin has ever assembled must play to its potential, which is good enough to win State’s first (claimed) national title since the 1980s.
Understanding the 2025 Federal Budget Law: What It Means for Centre County
A sweeping new federal budget law passed in July 2025 has major implications for Penn State students, local service workers, retirees, and the regional economy. Here’s a breakdown of the key facts, when they go into effect, and what they mean for our area—opinions, just the numbers:
The Game Behind the Game: What Every Local Needs to Know About Penn State Football in 2025
As the 2025 college football season kicks off, Penn State finds itself at the center of one of the most transformative eras in college athletics history. Beyond the touchdowns and tailgates, the evolving financial, legal, and operational forces now shaping college football are reshaping the Happy Valley economy and our community. Here’s your guide to all the moving parts.
Foundations: Building a Penn State Sports Legacy
At the Nittany Lion Inn | Saturday, July 26 at 7 PM
What does the name Mike Reid mean to you?
Grammy Award-winning songwriter. Concert pianist. Penn State All-American. NFL Pro.
On July 26, he returns to where it all began—for one unforgettable night.
Be entertained by Penn State’s own Mike Reid — the embodiment of the “Grand Experiment.”
Lead Boldly, Act with Heart: Campus Closures, AI, and the Courage to Change
We elect leaders to make hard calls. But lately, when they do, we turn on them.
We saw it with Penn State’s decision to close seven Commonwealth Campuses. We’re seeing it again with the proposed closure of Rockview Prison. In both cases, leadership is accused of betrayal—of abandoning the people, history, the community.
Teammates for Life—and the Power of Showing Up
Charlene Morett-Curtiss—Penn State legend, two-time Olympian, and lifelong mentor—joined us for our first Connecting the Dots Community Conversation.
