Former Ohio State defensive coordinator said in an address to Penn State players that the Nittany Lions were 'everything' to him growing up

The Ohio State Buckeyes finished the season with a national championship, cementing head coach Ryan Day's status as one of the top coaches in college football. Day was joined by a pair of veteran assistants in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

Penn State has lured Jim Knowles away from Ohio State. The Nittany Lions hired Knowles on Monday to serve as their defensive coordinator. Knowles held the same position with the national champion Buckeyes for three years.

Week 1 of the 2025 college football season features a loaded slate, including LSU at Clemson, Notre Dame at Miami and Alabama at Florida State, among others. LSU-Clemson could be a top-five matchup, as could the biggest headliner: Manning and Texas visiting Ohio State in a matchup of the 2024 national champion and our early 2025 favorite.

It's never too early to look ahead to next season's College Football Playoff despite the Ohio State Buckeyes capturing the National Championship just weeks ago.

ESPN has college football's national title staying in the Big Ten next season. Michigan and Ohio State have given the conference back-to-back national champions. ESPN's Bill Connelly predicted a new winner emerging from the Big Ten.