College Football Stock Watch: Why Penn State Is Trending Up, And Alabama Isn't

Think back to this time a year ago.

Penn State entered the 2025 season as a top-10 team and a trendy national title pick. By the second week of November, the Nittany Lions were 3-6, their head coach had been fired, and a season filled with promise had unraveled during a six-game losing streak.

That's a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in college football. The teams generating offseason buzz don't always deliver.

Which brings us to 2026, where Penn State now leads the...