Penn State’s new era under Matt Campbell is already taking shape in two very different ways: confidence and caution.
At Big Ten Media Days, Campbell made his position clear in the conference’s ongoing tug-of-war with the SEC. While SEC coaches and Nick Saban spent their time defending the old order, Campbell pushed back and said that in modern college football, the Big Ten sits at the top. That “modern” qualifier matters, and it fits the way the last three seasons have played out.
The schedule could give Campbell a real runway in year one, too. Penn State continues to avoid the Big Ten’s “big three” - Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon - and that keeps the conversation around the 2026 season pointed toward a strong debut. Cleveland.com’s Big Ten Media poll backed that up, placing Penn State at No. 6 while the Buckeyes, Ducks, and Hoosiers occupied the top three spots in order.
That kind of setup makes a double-digit win season feel very much in play. A 10-2 finish would be a strong start for Campbell, no question. But it would not automatically mean a College Football Playoff bid, especially with a schedule that could leave Penn State facing only unranked teams in the regular season.
The optimism around the program also got a boost from the injury front. Veteran linebacker Tony Rojas, right tackle Anthony Donkoh, and quarterback Rocco Becht have all been cleared for fall camp after dealing with injuries and recovery work. For Penn State fans, Rojas’ absence in 2025 was especially noticeable.
Tight end Andrew Rappleyea is also set to return, while safety Jeremiah Cooper, tight end Gabe Burkle, and quarterback Alex Tatsch are expected back in September.
Tatsch’s timeline is one of the more important developments here. Campbell said he was cleared to play by July 1, and while easing him back makes sense given that he’s behind Becht, Campbell still called the return a “monumental win.”
That’s hard to argue with. Penn State doesn’t have a starting quarterback on the roster after Becht graduates, and Tatsch looks like the closest thing to a future answer.
That kind of stability at quarterback will matter as Campbell moves from year one into year two.
Still, not everyone is ready to hand Penn State a smooth path. ESPN’s Bill Connelly offered a sharp reminder that projections can swing fast in a first season.
He wrote, "Penn State is seemingly impossible to project, especially since the Nittany Lions will be more Iowa State than PSU this season under new coach Matt Campbell. They could indeed be a borderline top-15 team or they could stumble out of the top 40 -- neither would surprise me much," Connelly wrote.
He also pointed out just how much the schedule could help. "Penn State's projection becomes even more interesting when you realize how much easier the Nittany Lions' schedule is than the other teams in their general light heavyweight class.
The Big Ten has 10 projected top-40 teams, and PSU plays only three of them while Washington plays six and Michigan, USC and Iowa each play five. If we end up with a dark horse team threatening the top three, schedule strength might play a major role."
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Matt Campbells first turn at Big Ten Media Days as Penn States new head coach was less about sound bites and more about setting expectations. He leaned into humility while laying out a coaching philosophy built on culture and trust, a tone that suggested he knows the job is about more than Xs and Os in Happy Valley.
Campbell also used the stage to clarify what the first phase of his staff is starting to look like, announcing the hiring of defensive coordinator DAnton Lynn and the retention of assistant Terry Smith. With player representatives Anthony Donkoh, Rocco Becht and Tony Rojas alongside him, Campbells debut felt like the opening note of a new era, even if plenty of the bigger questions around how Penn State will take shape are still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]
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