Penn State’s defense has done its job through two games, but Matt Campbell isn’t about to let anyone get comfortable with that sample size.
The Nittany Lions have been sharp against the pass so far, giving up only 103 passing yards against Marshall and 107 against Temple. In those two games, the defensive backs piled up 20 tackles against Marshall and 23 more against Temple. That’s a tidy start, and it has helped define the early tone for D’Anton Lynn’s group.
Still, Buffalo brings a different kind of test, and it starts with Chance Morrow.
Through two games, the Bulls wideout has 18 catches for 218 yards and five touchdowns. He has scored all of Buffalo’s touchdowns and accounts for more than half of the team’s 435 receiving yards. That kind of production is impossible to ignore, and Campbell made it clear he hasn’t.
“He’s an elite talent,” Campbell said. “He’s come in and just had a really great start to the season.
He’s got an elite catch radius. He’s long.
He’s got the ability to threaten you with his speed down the field, but he’s also you watch some of those catches in tight spaces, he’s a real challenge.”
Penn State cornerback Daryus Dixson said the defensive approach goes beyond simply zeroing in on Morrow.
“Just like any other week, we’re looking at all the guys in their room,” Dixson said. “Just looking at formations, what their tendencies are, what they like to do, where they line up, just little things like that. Just trying to prepare for everybody.”
Even with that broader plan in place, Morrow is the obvious name on the scouting report. Campbell pointed out how Buffalo’s run game helps create the kinds of matchups Morrow has been cashing in on early.
“To consistently do what he’s doing for his team early on has been really impressive,” Campbell said. “It’s a team that wants to run the football that does a great job running the ball to set up the pass.
And so, I think there’s a lot that goes to that to allow Morrow to be able to to get some of those one-on-one opportunities. But you know we’ll have to have a holistic approach in terms of both him and their entire offense.”
Penn State is a heavy favorite, with the spread climbing near 40 points in some spots, but Campbell isn’t treating Buffalo like a team that can be brushed aside. His point was simple: college football keeps proving that the safe assumption is usually the wrong one.
“College football - anybody can beat anybody on any Saturday, and I think the reality of the world we live in today,” Campbell said. “It’s why you’re traning to be the best.
It’s like this competitive endurance. How do you just keep showing up and earning the right to be confident?”
He pointed to the kind of chaos that has already shown up across the sport, from Tulsa’s upset of Oklahoma State to Western Michigan pushing Michigan to the brink, along with three FCS wins over FBS teams in the opening week alone.
Campbell said he doesn’t need a reminder that anything can happen. He just wants the message to land.
“I think it’s really hard in our sport. You’re dealing with 18 to 22 year olds,” Campbell said. “You’re trying to get them to be their absolute best.”
He also had praise for Buffalo coach Pete Lembo, whose résumé includes head coaching stops at Lehigh and Elon, plus Ball State’s second 10-win season since 1978 in 2013. Lembo is 127-77 all-time as a head coach and has also worked as an assistant at major programs.
“When you talk about this Buffalo team, first of all, you’re talking about a tremendous head football coach who did an unbelievable job at Ball State,” Campbell said. “Then goes on and has had a great career.
He’s coached in the big moments. He’s coached in the SEC.
He’s coached at some great places, and I think you just watch how this Buffalo team plays - their kids play really, really hard.”
In Other News...
Beaver Stadium Is Finally Addressing A Penn State Fan Frustration
Beaver Stadium is getting a long-awaited fix to one of the most familiar headaches for Penn State fans, with the schools Board of Trustees Finance and Investment Committee approving a 10-year deal with AT&T to upgrade cellular service at the venue. The new system is expected to be in place for the 2027 football season, and interim improvements are already being made this fall as part of the broader push to make the stadium experience less frustrating on game day.
The upgrade will bring a new distributed antenna system designed to improve coverage and increase bandwidth capacity across the stadium, a notable addition as Beaver Stadium nears completion of its $700 million renovation. For a fan base that has dealt with spotty service for years, the timing matters almost as much as the technology, even if the full payoff is still a couple of seasons away. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have One Gameday Concern Before Buffalo Kickoff
A comfortable start is on tap for Penn States noon kickoff against Buffalo at Beaver Stadium, with meteorologist Joe Murgo calling for temperatures in the upper 60s and a steady south-southeast wind. It should feel like a pretty good early-season football afternoon for much of the game, but there is enough movement in the forecast to keep fans paying attention as the hours wear on.
Murgo also flagged the possibility of showers or thunderstorms by the end of the game, which means a dry tailgate might not stay that way for long. For the Penn State crowd, the practical advice is simple: bring layers, pack rain gear, and give yourself extra time to get through the traffic headed into State College. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Players Feel Extra Pressure With Program Legends Returning
Penn State is set to welcome back one of the most celebrated groups in program history, with the 1986 national championship team being honored at halftime during an upcoming game. Running back D.J. Dozier, an All-American from that squad, will serve as honorary captain and handle the coin toss, giving the current roster a chance to share the field, in a sense, with the standard-bearers of a championship era.
For players like Caleb Bacon and Gabe Burkle, the return of those lettermen brings an added layer to a game week that already carries its own weight. The current Nittany Lions know the legacy they are trying to uphold, and the presence of program legends has only sharpened that motivation, turning a celebration of the past into a reminder of the expectations that still follow Penn State football. [Read more 🡒]