Penn State and Virginia Tech in Heated Battle to Flip Four-Star QB Peter Bourque from Michigan
Just a few weeks ago, Penn State’s recruiting class looked like it was in freefall. The Nittany Lions had only two signees during the early signing period, and the program appeared to be scrambling for direction.
But things have shifted quickly in Happy Valley. With Matt Campbell now at the helm and rebuilding the 2026 class-largely with players he previously signed at Iowa State-Penn State is starting to find its footing.
And with Michigan's program suddenly in turmoil following the firing of Sherrone Moore amid scandal, the recruiting landscape in the Big Ten has changed dramatically.
Now, Campbell is looking to capitalize on Michigan’s misfortune-and he’s not alone. Virginia Tech, led by former Penn State head coach James Franklin, is also in the mix. At the center of this high-stakes recruiting battle is Peter Bourque, a four-star quarterback and one of the top signal-callers in the 2027 class.
Bourque, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound quarterback out of Marion, Massachusetts, is ranked as the No. 6 QB in the 2027 cycle by the 247Sports Composite.
He’s a top-100 national player with a big arm, sharp accuracy from the pocket, and the kind of upside that makes Power 4 programs take notice. He originally committed to Michigan, but with the Wolverines in disarray, both Penn State and Virginia Tech are making a strong push to flip him.
This is a particularly interesting twist in Bourque’s recruitment. He was a top target of Franklin’s while he was still at Penn State, and the Nittany Lions had already offered him and hosted him on an unofficial visit back in January. Now, Franklin is trying to bring him to Virginia Tech, while Campbell is picking up where Franklin left off-only this time, with his own staff and vision for the future.
Both schools extended new offers to Bourque on Tuesday, signaling just how serious they are about landing him. For Campbell, this is more than just a recruiting battle-it’s a litmus test.
He and general manager Derek Hoodjer are stepping into a new world of recruiting. At Iowa State, they weren’t typically in the mix for top-100 players.
But at Penn State, expectations are different. Competing for national titles means going toe-to-toe with the best programs in the country for elite talent.
Campbell has proven he can develop quarterbacks. At Iowa State, he turned Rocco Becht into a multi-year starter and helped mold Brock Purdy into a steady, productive college QB who’s now leading the San Francisco 49ers on Sundays. That track record matters-especially to a recruit like Bourque, who has the tools to be a multi-year starter and a potential NFL prospect.
But development only gets you so far if you’re not landing elite talent to begin with. That’s why this recruitment is so critical.
Penn State fans are watching closely to see if Campbell can close on a player of Bourque’s caliber. Franklin’s exit came just a year after a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance, and the bar hasn’t been lowered.
If anything, it’s been raised. Campbell wasn’t hired to rebuild-he was hired to elevate.
The quarterback room is slowly taking shape in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions already have Peyton Falzone, a 2026 four-star who flipped from Auburn back to Penn State before Campbell arrived, and Kase Evans, a 2026 three-star who followed Campbell from Iowa State.
But Bourque is a different level. He’s the kind of quarterback you build a program around.
He’s the kind of quarterback who changes the national perception of your recruiting ceiling.
And right now, both Campbell and Franklin are fighting to be the one who gets to coach him.
This is more than just a flip-it’s a statement.