Penn State’s matchup with Buffalo should give the Nittany Lions another chance to lean on the bottom of the depth chart, and for a few backups, that makes Saturday more than just another lopsided nonconference game.
The opener against Marshall turned into a 45-0 rout, which let Penn State clear the bench. Last week against Temple, a 27-9 win was a little tighter and didn’t offer the same runway. This one figures to look much more like Week 1, with Penn State installed as a 40.5-point favorite and garbage time potentially arriving early at Beaver Stadium.
That matters because Big Ten play is right around the corner in Week 4. For some of these players, this could be the last real chance to make a case for more meaningful snaps this season - and maybe for a spot on next year’s roster.
At quarterback, Alex Manske is in a different spot than everyone else on this list. He’s not fighting to keep his hold on QB2.
The bigger question is whether he can stay on the path to becoming the next man up after Rocco Becht heads to the NFL, before the transfer portal becomes part of the equation this offseason. A few late-game reps against Buffalo won’t settle that, but a poor outing would at least be a bad note to carry forward.
If Penn State wants life to be simple next year, Manske needs to look like the future QB1.
On the defensive line, the injury to Max Granville changes the picture. Granville is set to miss the rest of the season after already missing all of 2025, and that opens the door for Jackson Ford and Liam Andrews to get more involved.
Ford, the most interesting defensive lineman in Penn State’s 2026 freshman class, should see a bigger role. Andrews has already shifted from defensive tackle to defensive end, and Matt Campbell said as much this week.
The edge rotation is expected to run through Yvan Kemajou, Caleb Bacon, and Ikenna Ezeogu, with Alexander McPherson next in line, but Ford and Andrews can still push their way into the conversation if they flash against Buffalo.
The receiver room may be the deepest place on the roster, which is not something Penn State could always say in James Franklin’s final years at the helm. Koby Howard, Chase Sowell, and Brett Eskildsen are already locked into their jobs.
Zay Robinson has been electric in limited work from the slot, and true freshman Amarion Jackson has clearly caught the staff’s eye. That leaves Karon Brookins waiting for his chance.
He has actually played two more snaps than Robinson this season, but he has only two targets. At 6-foot-5, he should present a problem Buffalo can’t easily solve, though how much he gets to show depends in part on how often Penn State throws once he’s in there.
Then there’s Quinton Martin Jr., who might be the most intriguing name on the list simply because Week 2 didn’t include a single snap for him. That came even though the ground game wasn’t exactly rolling against Temple.
James Peoples has established himself as the passing-downs back, while Carson Hansen, the RB1, has had trouble getting loose. Still, Cam Wallace handled the early-down work behind Hansen, not Martin, which was not what many expected entering the season.
Maybe Martin is simply out of the mix right now. If he does get touches against Buffalo, he’ll know exactly what’s at stake.
In Other News...
Penn State May Have Found A Bigger Weapon Than Fans Realized
Penn State has spent the first two weeks seeing Zay Robinson in a little bit of everything, and the early returns suggest the redshirt freshman transfer from Iowa State may be carving out a bigger role than many expected. In the 45-0 win over Marshall, Robinson broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown, adding another flash point to an opening stretch in which he has already made an impact as a receiver and on special teams.
Robinson has handled punts and kickoffs, caught several passes and lined up at multiple receiver spots, giving the Nittany Lions a versatile option who can change field position and help the offense in different ways. His growing role has drawn praise from teammates and coach Matt Campbell, and Penn State will keep watching to see just how far his expanded workload can go as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Still Has One Big Problem To Sort Out Before Wisconsin
Penn State has opened the season 2-0 and gets Buffalo before the schedule stiffens and Big Ten play begins, but the next step is as much about answers as it is about another win. The staff still has some sorting to do on the back end with its safety rotation, and there are fresh faces up front trying to settle into a run defense that will be tested more seriously once league play arrives.
The bigger issue, though, may be on offense, where the rushing game has not yet given the Nittany Lions the kind of reliable edge they want heading toward Wisconsin. Buffalo offers a useful checkpoint to see what works, what needs tweaking and how quickly Penn State can get its ground attack pointed in the right direction before the games start carrying more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State May Watch Ohio State Steal Another Early Recruiting Win
Jordan Halls recruitment has quickly become one to watch for Penn State, which was the first Power Four program to offer the Ohio running back after his decommitment from Miami (OH). The three-star prospect has drawn attention from both Penn State and Ohio State, giving the Nittany Lions an early opening in a class-building race that matters as much for the future of the backfield as it does for bragging rights.
Ohio State is now hosting Hall for a visit, and that has put Penn State in the familiar position of trying to hold off a regional power with deep ties in the state. For both programs, the interest goes beyond one player, since each is looking to secure running back help in its 2027 class, but the current momentum appears to favor the Buckeyes unless Penn State can change the conversation soon. [Read more 🡒]