Penn State left its nonconference schedule looking a lot more complete after a 55-13 rout of Buffalo in Week 3, and the biggest reason was impossible to miss: the run game finally showed up in a big way.
After two uneven weeks on the ground, the Nittany Lions turned the rushing attack loose against the Bulls. All four expected impact backs got meaningful work, and the rotation actually looked like a strength instead of a mystery.
Quinton Martin Jr. delivered the breakout performance, leading Penn State in rushing yards, while the other three backs each found the end zone. Carson Hansen saw the fewest carries of the group, a sharp change from the first two games when he had been the clear lead option, but he was the most consistent he’s been all season in his five rushes.
That kind of balance could matter even more if the staff keeps leaning into the full group. Each back brings something a little different, and if Penn State keeps mixing and matching them, the offense has a chance to stay more unpredictable on the ground.
The cleanest concern from Saturday had nothing to do with talent. It was discipline.
Penn State’s penalty count climbed again, and some of those flags directly helped Buffalo move the ball. Two 15-yard penalties set up a Bulls field goal, giving them points they probably wouldn’t have earned otherwise against a defense that controlled the game for long stretches.
Buffalo also picked up four first downs through penalties and got another defensive stop after a holding call wiped out what would have been a first down deep in its own territory.
That kind of sloppiness is easy to shrug off in a blowout, but it can swing a tighter game in a hurry.
“Those are things where it's a fundamental and technique at the point of attack, and really all of those were, other than one, selfish penalty at the end of the football game, which can't happen,” Matt Campbell said. “I think again, when you're talking or playing the way physically we want to play, you got to be elite in the finish, and we weren't that today.”
On the bright side, Koby Howard kept building his case as one of the most dangerous playmakers in the country. He came away with three catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, and he also scored on a 20-yard rushing play. Howard keeps showing he can win in traffic and still stretch the field, which is exactly why his production is starting to pop so loudly.
“I thought Koby went up, and I don't know if anybody can catch the ball as good as that guy,” Campbell said.
Howard’s start has been hard to ignore. He’s seventh in the country with 344 receiving yards and third in yards per catch at 28.7.
The pass rush, though, still hasn’t fully caught up. Penn State did get more pressure on Buffalo than it had in earlier games, but the sacks never really came in bunches.
Kooper Ebel was credited with one sack on an intentional grounding play, and that was it. The defense logged five quarterback hurries, but none of them turned into consistent finishing plays.
Through three games, Penn State has only five sacks total, which is a thin number even before conference play begins. The edge group is young, but the production hasn’t moved much yet, and that remains a problem because a pass rush that can’t close drives can leave the defense waiting too long for stops.
If there’s one unit that looks ready for the next step, it’s the secondary. Penn State has allowed just 270 passing yards combined through three weeks, and the back end has been as steady as anything on the roster. The five starters have all contributed, and the depth behind them has held up too, with Josiah Zayas and Jahmir Joseph both seeing significant snaps behind Audavion Collins, Daryus Dixson and Zion Tracy.
That kind of coverage gives the defense a chance to squeeze the field and maybe even help the pass rush break through later. Through three games, the secondary has looked locked in.
In Other News...
Penn State Already Has A New QB Question Fans Can't Ignore
Penn States non-conference tune-up slate against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo did not leave the quarterback picture any clearer, even with Rocco Becht opening all three games. The starter showed he can push the ball downfield, but the offense never got fully settled with him, and the red zone remains a problem area the staff still has to sort through.
Redshirt freshman Alex Manske also got his chances, and he looked capable enough to keep the conversation going with a handful of accurate throws and a few near completions that hinted at more upside. Connor Barry even saw the field, which only added to the sense that this is more than a one-man evaluation, and Manske appears to be positioning himself as the name to watch when Penn State starts thinking about next year. [Read more 🡒]
Bill OBrien Just Added Weight To Penn States Matt Campbell Bet
Bill OBriens take carried a little extra weight because he knows both sides of this equation. The former Penn State head coach, now at Boston College, publicly backed Matt Campbell as the Nittany Lions new leader, praising the hire and pointing to the scale of the job in State College. OBrien has lived the pressure and the expectations that come with that chair, so his approval is the kind of detail Penn State fans notice.
Campbell also has a small connection point through one of his past staffing moves, having hired a former Boston College assistant. Its another reminder that big college football decisions are rarely made in a vacuum, and Penn States new coach is stepping into a job with real history attached to it. OBriens endorsement does not settle every question, but it does add another layer to the early read on how Campbell fits the role. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Backfield Question Fans Will Notice
Quinton Martin Jr. was back in the conversation against Buffalo after sitting out Penn States game against Temple, and the change did not happen by accident. The young back responded by putting in the work on the practice field, caught the attention of coach Matt Campbell, and then earned meaningful snaps when the Nittany Lions got another look at their rotation. His payoff came with 10 carries for 100 yards, a strong reminder that opportunities in the backfield can come quickly when a player keeps pressing.
Martin has also drawn notice from teammates, which matters in a room where every rep is evaluated closely. The bigger question now is how Penn State sorts out those carries going forward, especially with Martin making it clear he wants to keep improving and force his way into more playing time. For a team still shaping its backfield pecking order, his response to one missed game has only made the next decisions more interesting. [Read more 🡒]