No. 23 Penn State Nittany Lions

Editor’s Note: Every May 1, Athlon Sports counts toward the release of its College Football Annuals by releasing one spot in its Top 25 every weekday for five weeks. The No. 1 team will be revealed June 4. Check AthlonSports.com every day to see who’s next in the countdown as Athlon Sports celebrates its 41st season of publishing. The 2008 versions of Athlon’s College Football Annuals hit newsstands June 3rd.

Penn State came in fifth in the Big Ten last season at 4–4 despite a 9–4 overall record. Coach Joe Paterno, ranked second to Florida State’s Bobby Bowden among active FBS coaches with 372 wins to Bowden’s 373, welcomes back eight starters on offense. But tailback Rodney Kinlaw, who ran for 1,329 yards in 2007, and quarterback Anthony Morelli aren’t among them.

At quarterback, Daryll Clark has the experience — he is 20-of-36 for his career — and the verve. He came off the bench to run for 50 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown burst, and spark the Lions to a 24–17 Alamo Bowl win over Texas A&M. The other candidate is former Parade All-American Pat Devlin, a drop-back passer with two years in the system and little experience. Clark should get the nod to start the season.

The new tailback is sophomore Evan Royster, who scored the game-winning touchdown against Texas A&M on a 38-yard run, and posted a 6.3-yard average on 82 carries for the season. The offensive line, with five starters back and honors candidates in guard Rich Ohrnberger and center A.Q. Shipley, will clear the way.

Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood are among the most productive pass-catchers in school history, and all are back for 2008. Last season, Williams led the team with 55 catches, Butler had a team-high 633 receiving yards, and Norwood led with five touchdown grabs.

All-America linebacker Dan Connor must be replaced, and Sean Lee, whose 138 tackles last season trailed only Connor’s 145, was lost for the year with a knee injury in the spring. End Maurice Evans is an All-American who registered 21.5 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks last fall. Anthony Scirrotto is back at strong safety with 10 career interceptions to his credit.

The Nittany Lions will face eight 2007 bowl teams in 2008. They will host Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State in Beaver Stadium, but must travel to Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Happy holidays Penn State’s 67.5 bowl winning percentage is second-best nationally among teams with at least 10 bowl victories.

Half a thousand The 2007 Alamo Bowl was Paterno’s 500th game as Penn State’s head coach.

Go for it The 2007 Nittany Lions finished second in the nation in fourth-down conversions, turning 11 of 14 attempts into first downs.

Penn State superlatives:

DE Maurice Evans is named First-Team All-America and First-Team All-Big Ten.

C A.Q. Shipley, OL Rich Ohrnberger, P Jeremy Boone and KR A.J. Wallace are named First-Team All-Big Ten.

CB Lydell Sargeant, S Anthony Scirrotto and K Kevin Kelly are named Second-Team All-Big Ten.

WR Deon Butler, DL Josh Gaines, CB A.J. Wallace and PR Derrick Williams are named Third-Team All-Big Ten.

You can read the entire Penn State preview in the 2008 Athlon Sports College Football magazine, available for purchase now at the Athlon Sports store.

Also coming to AthlonSports.com this summer:
— Top 25 Heisman Hopefuls
— Live chats with Athlon editors
— Conference-preview videocasts
— Launch of the 2009 Athlon Consensus 100
— Athlon's college fantasy football draft kit

Other in-season offerings:
— Previews for every college football game
— Fantasy games
— Sideline Spirit voting
— Scenes From Saturday
— Updated Athlon 119
— Much more

Be sure to return to AthlonSports.com after June 15 when complete team previews for all 119 teams will be available.

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