The wait is over in Happy Valley - Penn State’s 2026 football schedule is officially out, and it marks the beginning of a new era under head coach Matt Campbell. After a turbulent 2025 campaign, the Nittany Lions are hoping this fresh slate offers a smoother ride. And at first glance, the path looks manageable - but as Penn State fans know all too well, “manageable” doesn’t always mean “easy.”
Let’s break it all down.
The 2026 Penn State Football Schedule:
- 9/5: Marshall (Home)
- 9/12: Temple (at Lincoln Financial Field)
- 9/19: Buffalo (Home)
- 9/26: Wisconsin (Home)
- 10/3: @ Northwestern
- 10/10: USC (Home)
- 10/17: @ Michigan
- 10/24: Bye
- 10/31: Purdue (Home)
- 11/7: @ Washington
- 11/14: Minnesota (Home)
- 11/21: Rutgers (Home)
- 11/27: @ Maryland
Nonconference Tune-Up: A Soft Landing for Campbell
If you’re Matt Campbell, this is exactly the kind of nonconference schedule you want in your first year. Penn State opens with three straight games against Group of Five opponents - Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo - and all three are in-state contests. Marshall and Buffalo come to Beaver Stadium, while the Week 2 matchup against Temple will be held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly.
All three teams finished 5-7 last year, and while no game is a gimme, these are matchups Penn State should control. More importantly, they offer a valuable runway for Campbell to evaluate his roster in live action before the Big Ten gauntlet begins.
There’s also a bit of a reunion storyline in the Temple matchup. Several former Nittany Lions - quarterback Jaxon Smolik, tight end Joey Schlaffer, safety Kolin Dinkins, and defensive tackle Kaleb Artis - transferred to the Owls after the 2025 season. That adds a little extra juice to the Week 2 showdown in Philly.
In the broader college football landscape, this kind of nonconference scheduling is becoming the norm. With the expanded College Football Playoff format, teams are incentivized to avoid early-season slip-ups. For Penn State, these three games provide a chance to build momentum - and confidence - before the real tests arrive.
The Gauntlet: USC and Michigan, Back-to-Back
Circle Weeks 6 and 7 - this is where the season could swing.
Penn State hosts USC on October 10, then heads to Ann Arbor a week later to face Michigan. These are the two toughest games on the schedule, and they come right in the heart of the season.
Both USC and Michigan finished 9-4 last year, ranked No. 20 and No. 21 in the final AP Poll, respectively. They each stumbled in their bowl games - USC to TCU in the Alamo Bowl, Michigan to Texas in the Citrus - but both return their starting quarterbacks: Jayden Maiva for the Trojans and Bryce Underwood for the Wolverines.
There’s some coaching drama baked in here too. USC’s former defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, is now calling the shots for Penn State’s defense.
And Michigan made a major move, bringing in Kyle Whittingham from Utah to replace Sherrone Moore as head coach. That’s a big swing for a program looking to maintain its place among the Big Ten elite.
The USC game has all the makings of a White Out - it’s midseason, it’s at home, and it’s against a marquee opponent. But then comes the trip to the Big House, one of the most intimidating venues in college football.
If Penn State can split these two games, that would be a win. Survive both?
Now we’re talking about a potential playoff contender.
The Rest of the Slate: Navigable, But Not Without Pitfalls
After the Michigan game, Penn State gets a much-needed bye week before hosting Purdue. Then comes a tricky road trip to Washington - the first time the Nittany Lions will face the Huskies on the road since they joined the Big Ten.
That cross-country flight shouldn’t be overlooked. Washington may not be the powerhouse it was a few years ago, but that’s still a long trip against a team that can be dangerous at home.
The final stretch - Minnesota, Rutgers, and Maryland - is favorable, especially with two of those games at home. None of those teams finished above .500 last year, and if Penn State is still in the hunt for a Big Ten title or playoff spot, these are games they’ll be expected to win.
Notably absent from the 2026 schedule: Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. That’s a big break. Avoiding two of the conference’s heavyweights gives Campbell a real shot to make noise in Year 1.
Big Picture: A Chance to Reset
Let’s be honest - 2025 wasn’t what Penn State fans had in mind. A season that began with playoff hopes ended in a six-loss spiral. That’s the kind of year that forces change, and that’s exactly what happened with the arrival of Matt Campbell.
Now, with a fresh schedule and a reshaped roster, there’s an opportunity to reset the narrative.
This team is a mix of holdovers from last year’s 7-6 squad, transfers from Campbell’s 8-4 Iowa State team, and a new wave of recruits. That’s a lot of moving parts, and chemistry won’t come overnight. But if this group can click by the time October rolls around, there’s a real path to a strong season.
The pieces are there - a manageable schedule, a proven coach, and a roster with enough talent to compete. Now it’s about putting it all together.
If Campbell can get this team to gel, don’t be surprised if Penn State is right back in the national conversation by November.