Penn State picked up preseason attention in more than one sport this week, and the Nittany Lions found themselves in familiar territory on the football side with a spot in the AP Top 25.
The women’s volleyball program also landed national recognition before the 2026 season, taking the No. 10 spot in the AVCA Preseason Poll. That comes after Penn State was voted No. 3 in the Big Ten Coaches Poll, even though it finished unranked nationally in 2025.
With a reworked roster and more stability at setter with Alexis Stucky, there’s clearly plenty of belief around what this group can do. Nebraska, Tennessee, and Stanford sit among the top teams the Nittany Lions will have to measure themselves against.
On the football field, Penn State came in at No. 18 in the preseason AP Top 25. The ranking itself was expected, but the teams ahead of the Nittany Lions make the challenge plain.
USC is No. 15, Michigan is No. 16, and Washington is No. 17, and those are the highest-ranked opponents Penn State will face this season.
If Matt Campbell’s team is going to push back toward national title contention, handling that middle tier is going to matter.
Campbell also has a major decision to sort through in fall camp, and it centers on one of the deepest position groups on the roster: linebacker. Six players are in the mix, and all of them bring starter-level ability, but only two can claim the jobs.
Kooper Ebel, Caleb Bacon, and Cael Brezina arrived from Iowa State, while Tony Rojas returns as the top holdover. Alex Tatsch has been moving up, and Cam Smith is also making noise in camp.
That gives defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn a real puzzle. He has to decide what scheme best fits the talent in that room, and there’s a case for simply leaning on Rojas and Ebel as the primary starters who handle the heaviest load. That approach would also keep the others available for 2027, since they’re all eligible to return.
Quarterback Rocco Becht is making sure his focus stays where Penn State needs it most. His final NCAA season carries weight for him and for the Nittany Lions, who need a strong start in year one under Campbell. Becht has already made an impression in the locker room and bought into the culture Campbell has built.
On Thursday, he added another detail that underscored that commitment. Becht told media that he already earned his Bachelor's degree in communications, so his academic plan is to take one online class at Penn State.
He also said he has taken leadership courses and will receive a certificate after finishing the online class this fall. For a fifth-year player, the setup is not unusual, but it does reinforce that his attention is pointed toward football first.
In Other News...
Penn State Had A Viral Week Fans Wont Stop Arguing About
Penn States latest off-field buzz has been less about depth charts and more about the business of being a fan. The school laid out pricing options for 2027 season tickets as stadium renovations continue to reshape the seating map, and some of the increases tied to the project have already become a talking point among supporters trying to figure out what the next wave of game-day access will cost.
At the same time, quarterback Rocco Becht has found himself at the center of a different kind of public debate after it became known that he is taking one online graduate class this fall while still meeting NCAA eligibility rules. Becht already has an undergraduate degree, but the class load chatter took on a life of its own online, drawing in commentary from a U.S. senator and even his father as fans kept arguing over what it all says about college football in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Massive Lines Are Fueling A Fascinating Identity Debate
Penn States front has become impossible to miss this offseason, with the Nittany Lions leaning into size on both sides of the line after adding several new pieces through the transfer portal. It has sparked a familiar kind of conversation around the program: whether this group is simply bigger, or whether it can actually function as one of the best lines Penn State has put together in the modern era. The benchmarks being floated are not casual ones, either, with the 1994 and 1981 offensive lines still standing as the standard for what greatness looks like in Happy Valley.
The question now is how all that bulk translates once the games start under coach Matt Campbell. Penn State has clearly decided it wants to look different at the line of scrimmage, and that shift alone makes the team more intriguing heading into the season. But size can only carry a roster so far, and the real debate is whether this new physical identity will hold up against the kind of competition that has defined the programs biggest tests. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces A 2026 Backfield Balancing Act Under Matt Campbell
Penn State heads toward the 2026 season with an unusually crowded backfield and enough talent to make the position one of the staffs trickiest decisions. Head coach Matt Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser have built a deep skill group, but the running back room stands out most, led by senior transfer Carson Hansen and junior transfer James Peoples, with redshirt junior Cam Wallace and redshirt sophomore Quinton Martin Jr. also in the mix.
Campbell has already signaled that this is not likely to be a one-back operation. The expectation is that all four runners will factor into the offense and special teams, a setup designed to preserve continuity while keeping the group versatile and involved. It leaves Penn State with options, but also a subtle balancing act as the staff tries to sort out touches, roles and the order behind two experienced transfers. [Read more 🡒]