Penn State enters the 2026 season with a familiar label and a very different feel.
The Nittany Lions landed at No. 18 in the Associated Press preseason poll released Monday, Aug. 17, giving Matt Campbell’s first Penn State team a spot in the Top 20 with less than two weeks left before the opener. They were No. 17 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll earlier this month, and this marks their ninth preseason ranking in the past 10 years.
That’s a far cry from last August, when James Franklin’s team opened at No. 3 - the program’s highest preseason ranking in the poll in 28 years. What followed was a stunning six-game losing streak, Franklin’s firing and a season that ended with Penn State at 7-6 and unranked, even after a late push under interim coach Terry Smith.
Now the program is starting over under Campbell and a new staff, with a Sept. 5 opener against Marshall set for a bigger-than-ever Beaver Stadium.
The national picture is stacked with the usual heavy hitters. Ohio State is No. 1 and Oregon is No. 2 in both the AP and coaches polls, while defending national champion Indiana sits at No.
- Penn State avoids all three in the regular season.
Other Big Ten teams in the AP poll include USC at No. 14, Michigan at No.
16, Washington at No. 17 and Iowa at No. 22.
As expected, the AP top 25 is heavily tilted toward the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference, with the SEC placing five teams in the Top 10 and LSU at No. 11.
Penn State’s roster makeover is one of the biggest reasons the conversation around the Lions is so different this August. Senior quarterback Rocco Becht leads an unprecedented group of 40 transfers, and more than half of them followed Campbell from Iowa State. That list includes projected offensive contributors Becht, running back Carson Hanson, wide receivers Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen and Amarion Jackson, tight ends Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle, and offensive lineman Trevor Buhr.
On defense, new coordinator and Penn State alum D’Anton Lynn is expected to lean on bigger bodies up front, a rebuilt linebacker room led by returning All-America candidate Tony Rojas and a secondary that looks both deep and versatile.
For now, though, the Lions are mostly getting second-tier Big Ten treatment in the preseason pecking order. The upside is that Campbell’s group has made it through fall camp in unusually good health, including players easing back from injuries such as safety Jeremiah Cooper and Burkle, whom Campbell called the "best blocking tight end in the country."
Penn State should be heavy favorites in its first three non-conference games - Marshall on Sept. 5, at Temple on Sept. 12 and Buffalo on Sept. 19 - before the schedule tightens. The biggest tests on the slate look like the potential White Out matchup with USC on Oct. 10 and road trips to Michigan on Oct. 17 and Washington on Nov. 7.
Penn State football schedule 2026
A majority of times to be determined at a later date.
Sept. 5 vs. Marshall, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 at Temple, noon
Sept. 19 vs. Buffalo, noon
Sept. 26 vs. Wisconsin
Oct. 2 at Northwestern, 8 p.m.
Oct. 10 vs. USC
Oct. 17 at Michigan
Oct. 24 OFF
Oct. 31 vs. Purdue
Nov. 7 at Washington
Nov. 14 vs Minnesota
Nov. 21 vs. Rutgers
Nov. 28 at Maryland
In Other News...
Penn State Faces A Lineup Dilemma No Other Wrestling Power Has
Penn States fall lineup puzzle has landed in the middle of its deepest weight classes, and 157 pounds is suddenly one of the most intriguing decisions on the roster. The Nittany Lions have enough high-end talent to make the choice complicated, with Tyler Kasak coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships and freshman PJ Duke arriving with the kind of reputation that has already pushed him to No. 1 in the preseason rankings at the weight.
The challenge for the coaching staff is that this is not a simple matter of sliding someone elsewhere and opening a spot. Penn State has limited flexibility to shuffle wrestlers into other classes, and the situation could become even more crowded if Levi Haines returns. For a program that usually has more answers than questions by this point in the year, this is the rare case where its depth is creating a decision it cannot easily avoid. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Are About To See A Different Beaver Stadium
Beaver Stadium is in the middle of a massive transformation, and Penn State fans are going to notice the changes well before kickoff. The $700 million renovation is replacing temporary steel bleachers with permanent concrete upper-bowl seating, while also adding more club space, luxury suites and loge boxes as the stadium is reshaped for the long haul. Athletic director Pat Kraft said the project remains on schedule, which is a key point for a fan base that has watched the venue evolve in real time.
The bigger question now is what the finished building will feel like on Saturdays in Happy Valley. The renovation is designed to increase the stadiums height and capacity, and the final number could put Beaver Stadium in rare air among college football venues. For Penn State, it is not just about modern amenities or premium seating. It is about whether one of the sports most intimidating settings is about to become even more imposing. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has An Early Recruiting Concern Fans Will Notice
Penn States early recruiting picture picked up an unexpected wrinkle when 2028 commit Deonte Flemings Jr. said he is planning game day visits to several other programs. For a staff in the middle of fall camp, that is the kind of development fans notice quickly, especially with the Nittany Lions sorting through position changes and player evaluations as they build toward the season.
The timing adds another layer to a week that has already included Peyton Falzones move from quarterback to tight end, James Peoples drawing attention for his blocking, Drew Allar making his first NFL preseason appearance and Kooper Ebel landing on the Butkus Award watch list. Flemings situation does not change Penn States on-field preparations, but it does give the recruiting side of the program an early storyline to monitor. [Read more 🡒]