No. 16 Penn State is taking its first road trip of the Matt Campbell era, and the destination is one the program knows well: Temple.
The Nittany Lions head to Philadelphia on Saturday for a Noon ET kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field, looking to build on a dominant start to the season. Penn State opened Campbell’s tenure with a 45-0 win over Marshall at Beaver Stadium, a debut that couldn’t have gone much smoother. Now comes the first test away from home.
Temple enters at 1-0 as well after opening the second season under K.C. Keeler with a 38-14 win over Rhode Island. Keeler went 5-7 in 2025, and now he gets a much steeper challenge with the No. 16 team in the country coming to town.
This matchup also brings back a familiar in-state meeting. Penn State and Temple have faced each other 45 times, with the Nittany Lions holding a 40-4-1 edge.
The last time Temple beat Penn State came on Sept. 5, 2015, when the Owls won 27-10. Penn State answered the next year with a 34-27 victory in Happy Valley on Sept.
17, 2016.
For Campbell, the trip to Philadelphia is more than just a game on the schedule, but the main job is still simple: take care of business. Penn State will have to do it without defensive end LaVar Arrington II, who is out with a knee injury.
Here’s a look at the key details for Week 2:
Saturday, September 12
Noon ET
Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
ESPN2
fubo TV
The broadcast team will feature Anish Shroff on play-by-play, Andre Ware as analyst, and Morgan Uber on the sideline.
Penn State’s injury report also lists Gabe Burkle and Alex Tatsch as probable with knee injuries, while Owen Aliciene, Armstrong Nnodim, and Alijah Carnell are questionable.
Temple has two players on its injury report: Sam Brown V is questionable, and Reis Stocksdale is questionable with a hamstring injury.
The weather in Philadelphia is expected to be partly cloudy with a high of 82 degrees and a chance of spotty showers in the afternoon, so conditions shouldn’t play much of a role.
The betting line reflects Penn State’s status as the heavy favorite. FanDuel Sportsbook has the Nittany Lions at -4000 on the moneyline, Temple at +1400, Penn State favored by 23.5 points, and the total at 49.5.
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For Penn State, Suheys legacy reaches well beyond his pro career, rooted in his time as a reliable and rugged presence in the backfield before he became known in Chicago as Walter Paytons lead blocker. He also found the end zone in the Bears Super Bowl XX victory, a fitting footnote for a player whose value was often measured in the hard work that helped everyone around him shine. [Read more 🡒]
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Penn State Pass Rusher Faces A Tough Fight For Early Snaps
Penn States edge rotation already had plenty of attention heading into the season, and LaVar Arrington IIs preseason setback only sharpened it. The young pass rusher sustained a knee injury during camp, underwent clean-up surgery and has been working through a recovery timeline that head coach Matt Campbell put at four to six weeks. Arrington was not available for the Week 1 opener and was seen on crutches on the sideline, a reminder of how quickly early snaps can slip away in a crowded front.
The timing leaves Penn State waiting to see when Arrington can get back into the mix, with a return that could come around Week 6 or 7 if the rehab stays on track. Even then, he will be trying to make up missed time in a spot where practice reps matter, especially for a player hoping to carve out a role on the edge. For now, the question is less about what Arrington can do and more about how soon the Nittany Lions can count on him again. [Read more 🡒]
