Penn State enters 2026 with a very different look and a very different place in the Big Ten conversation.
A year after being tabbed as a preseason favorite to make a serious run at the Big Ten title and even the national championship, the Nittany Lions were slotted seventh in a prominent preseason poll released Monday. The ranking arrives with Big Ten Football Media Days set to open Tuesday in Chicago.
Penn State’s slide in the preseason pecking order matches the changes around the program. The Nittany Lions went 7-6 last season, and James Franklin was fired in mid-April. First-year coach Matt Campbell now takes over a team that no longer carries the same kind of lofty expectations it did a year ago.
The poll was put together by Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis, who cover Ohio State football and host the Bill and Doug Show on multiple podcast platforms and YouTube. A total of 46 media members took part, including 30 Big Ten beat writers and 16 national writers. PennLive was among the participants.
Here’s how the conference was ranked, with first-place votes and average ranking listed for each team:
- Ohio State (19), 1.74
- Oregon (20), 1.82
- Indiana (7), 2.64
- USC, 5.02
- Michigan, 5.94
- Washington, 6.38
- Penn State, 6.48
- Iowa, 7.82
- Illinois, 9.38
- Minnesota, 11.12
- Nebraska, 11.56
- UCLA, 12.24
- Wisconsin, 12.50
- Northwestern, 13.98
- Maryland, 15.24
- Michigan State, 16.02
- Rutgers, 16.18
- Purdue, 17.74
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For Penn State, the twist is the presence of Dr. Scott Lynch, the former team doctor who now serves on the CFBPA board and as vice president of health and safety. Lynch has been one of the organizations more visible supporters, and his involvement brings an old Penn State name back into a very new fight, especially with the group still trying to expand its reach after earlier organizing efforts around the Nittany Lions ran into resistance. [Read more 🡒]
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The encouraging part for Penn State is how quickly Granville seems to be trending in the right direction. He was limited in spring drills, but the expectation is that he will be ready for the regular season, which matters for a defensive line still looking to settle its rotation. If his early-camp progress carries over, the Nittany Lions may have another disruptive piece developing at one of the most important spots on the defense. [Read more 🡒]