Penn State gets one last tune-up before Big Ten play arrives, and the focus Saturday in Beaver Stadium is less about the scoreboard than what the Nittany Lions can learn about themselves.
Buffalo comes in as the final non-conference opponent on the 2026 regular-season slate, giving Penn State a chance to move to 3-0 before the schedule turns much tougher. After this, Wisconsin waits in the Big Ten opener on Sept. 26, and then the stretch only gets rougher: at Northwestern, home against USC and then a road trip to Michigan. Those four games form the most demanding chunk of the season, the kind of run that can reshape what Penn State is able to accomplish.
That makes this weekend about more than just another win. The Nittany Lions need answers, and the biggest one sits in the backfield.
For all the attention that has long followed Penn State’s wide receivers, the early-season concern has shifted to the running backs. The group hasn’t performed at a high enough level, and this matchup gives head coach Matt Campbell, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and running backs coach Savon Huggins a real chance to sort through the rotation without worrying about the game slipping away. Buffalo’s defense is described as bad, which should open the door for Penn State to mix and match and figure out who can help most.
Carson Hansen is expected to lead the way again, but he hasn’t looked the same as he did during his years at Iowa State. Saturday is a chance for him to show he can still be the team’s bellcow. If that doesn’t happen, James Peoples is the likeliest candidate to see a bigger workload, with Cam Wallace and Quinton Martin Jr. also in the mix.
And that running back evaluation comes with a bigger purpose. Penn State is trying to get itself ready for the real grind ahead, and the coaching staff needs to leave this game with a clearer picture of both the top end and the depth.
That depth piece matters everywhere, and this game should give several players a shot to make their case. Martin is one name to watch in the backfield, while true freshman Amarion Jackson could get an opportunity among the wide receivers. The starting offensive line is already set, and the tight end group is basically all in, so the more interesting auditions may come on defense.
With Max Granville out for the year because of injury, Liam Andrews and Jackson Ford should see reps on the defensive line. At linebacker, Alex Tatsch has a chance to keep developing and push toward something close to a starter’s workload. There will likely be other names that flash too, including some true freshmen, but this is Penn State’s last real chance to get them meaningful snaps and see who is ready to contribute this season.
The matchup itself looks lopsided enough that Penn State should be able to make those evaluations while still keeping control of the game. A 42-3 Nittany Lions win feels like the kind of outcome that resembles the home opener against Marshall more than last week’s road win at Temple. The passing game should help settle things early, then the conversation can shift back to the rushing attack with another victory secured.
One player projected to stand out is wide receiver Zay Robinson. The whole Penn State receiver room has been strong through two games, and Robinson has been part of that with four catches so far.
He’s been especially dangerous once the ball is in his hands, and there’s real All-Big Ten upside there, even if that level probably doesn’t arrive this season. The prediction calls for a big day: a kick return touchdown, four catches for 96 yards and a receiving touchdown.
Penn State head coach Matt Campbell also pointed to adversity as the key lesson from the first two games, saying:
“I think the biggest thing that we didn’t get really in game one was adversity. I’ve said this and I’m going to continue to say this, ‘cause it will continue to define who we are this year, is just because we haven’t all been together in these competitive environments, we need adversity.
You can create it as a coach as much as you want to, but there’s nothing more adverse than when you work your entire year for 12 guaranteed opportunities, and one of those opportunities things aren’t going well. All of a sudden you have to, somebody has to, be able to guide you out of that adversity.
“To me, watching our football team, really our coaches, I give them a lot of credit, I thought no panic, we did a great job correcting the mistakes, and there were mistakes. There were mistakes on the goal line, mistakes on a couple of those big runs that came out.
You can lose your mind or you can correct it. Know and trust that the process of the guys that are straining to get this thing done, man, we’re going to make some mistakes.
Get it fixed, have the ability to respond to it. Watch our guys be able to do that in the second and third quarter, I thought it was awesome.”
In Other News...
Buffalo Coach Sees One Clear Problem With Facing Penn State
Pete Lembo had plenty to say about what Buffalo is walking into at Beaver Stadium, and his breakdown came with the kind of specificity that usually comes only after a coach has spent real time studying an opponent. The Buffalo head coach pointed to Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas, a player he once recruited at South Carolina, and also singled out middle linebacker Kooper Ebel as a steady defensive presence. He did not stop there, either, adding praise for quarterback Rocco Becht and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig as he sized up a roster that looks deep enough to challenge almost every phase of the game.
For Penn State, the interesting part is not just that an opponent noticed the obvious talent. It is that Lembo framed the matchup around the parts of the roster that can tilt a game before the box score ever settles in, from defense to special teams to the quarterback spot. When an opposing coach comes away talking in those terms, it usually means he sees only one clean path for his own team, and it is not the easy one. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Spending Reality Just Raised A Bigger Contender Question
Penn States place in the new college football financial order is getting harder to ignore. The Nittany Lions projected 2026 roster budget sits in the $29 million to $32 million range, a number that leaves them 21st nationally and seventh in the Big Ten, well behind the sports biggest spenders such as Ohio State and Oregon. In a league where roster construction has become as much about money as recruiting, that gap is a real part of the conversation around how Penn State keeps pace.
The roster churn only sharpens the issue. Penn State has 62 new players this season, including 40 transfers, and the program has had to navigate the balancing act of holding onto key contributors while adding talent through the portal. Matt Campbell has managed the budget pressures by keeping important pieces in place and bringing in transfers from his previous team, but the broader question remains whether that approach is enough for Penn State to stay in the same competitive tier as the leagues highest rollers. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State May Have Found Its Next Tight End Problem For Defenses
A new tight end presence has already started to change how Penn State can attack defenses. Benjamin Brahmer, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound transfer from Iowa State, has played two games and wasted little time making himself part of the conversation, catching six of nine targets for 87 yards and three touchdowns while flashing the kind of size and versatility that usually creates problems for opposing coverages.
Brahmers value has gone beyond the stat sheet, too. His strong pass-blocking grade and the trust he earned from quarterback Rocco Becht at Iowa State point to a player who can help in multiple phases, and the early signs around his physical development have only added to the intrigue about how high his ceiling might be at tight end. If this is just the start, Penn State may have found a matchup piece defenses will be forced to account for every week. [Read more 🡒]