Penn State’s football path just got a little wider, but the expectations in Happy Valley didn’t get any smaller.
With the College Football Playoff set to expand to 24 teams in 2027 and the Power Four conferences announcing they’re parting ways with conference championship games, the Nittany Lions are staring at a future where postseason access should be far less of a hurdle. That doesn’t change the pressure on head coach Matt Campbell, who is expected to get this program where former head coach James Franklin couldn’t: a national championship.
The message is simple enough. If the playoff is going to be that big, Penn State should be in it. The blue and white ought to be one of the best 24 teams in the country, and anything less will feel like a missed opportunity.
Around Happy Valley, there was plenty else worth noting this week.
In wrestling, fifth-year Penn State standouts Mitchell Mesenbrink and Shayne Van Ness were both named Big Ten Wrestlers to Watch for the 2026-27 season.
Mesenbrink, who wrestles at 165 pounds, is coming off an undefeated season that ended with his second national title, third Big Ten Conference Championship, and the Dan Hodge Trophy. His 2025-26 record included 11 technical falls, eight pins, six major decisions, and one win by forfeit.
Van Ness, competing at 149 pounds, finished 25-1 in 2025-26 and was the national runner-up in his weight class at the NCAA Tournament. He also captured his first Big Ten title last season and piled up 10 technical falls, six pins, and four major decisions.
Penn State’s 2026-27 wrestling season begins at home at Rec Hall on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. ET.
On the football side, Matt Campbell offered another update on wide receiver Koby Howard during his weekly press conference, and it didn’t sound encouraging. Campbell said the team is "in a pause state" with Howard and repeated that he won’t be put back on the field until he’s 100 percent.
Howard was injured in Buffalo in Week 3, and the initial expectation was a return around Weeks 6 or 7 before the bye. That timeline shifted to Purdue, then again to Washington.
He stayed questionable on the injury report before being ruled out for both games after the bye. Now with Week 11 against Minnesota next, Campbell’s comments make it sound like Howard is not likely to play and may miss the rest of the season.
Penn State women’s volleyball also moved into the Top 10 of the AVCA Poll. After a 3-2 win over then-No.
7 Wisconsin, the Nittany Lions climbed from No. 11 to No. 10.
Wisconsin dropped two spots to No. 9.
With Maryland, Illinois, and Rutgers still left on the regular-season schedule, Penn State is unlikely to move much from that No. 10 position. Illinois is the only ranked opponent remaining, entering the poll after a win over Indiana.
In Other News...
Penn State Wrestling Suddenly Has A Braeden Davis Problem
Braeden Davis is suddenly missing from Penn States wrestling roster just as the season is about to get underway, and the timing makes the situation hard to ignore. A wrestler who has already carved out a significant place in the program, Davis won a Big Ten title and earned All-American honors during his time in Happy Valley, making his absence a notable development for a team that usually enters the year with championship expectations.
What remains unclear is whether this is a short-term change or something more lasting, and Penn State officials have not commented on his status. Davis also dealt with legal issues in 2025, adding another layer to a situation that now leaves more questions than answers for a program that rarely has to deal with uncertainty this close to the start of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces A Big Concern In A Tricky Minnesota Test
Penn State heads into a tricky Big Ten road test against Minnesota with both teams coming off a demanding stretch, and the matchup looks like it could be decided in the trenches. The Gophers have already been tested by quality opponents, and the Nittany Lions know they will need clean work from both lines, steady special teams play and sharp execution from their skill players to avoid letting a physical game drift into a grind.
Injuries and recent player developments only add to the uncertainty around this one, with both sides carrying some fresh questions into kickoff. For Penn State, the concern is less about one isolated area than the overall balance of the matchup, because Minnesota has enough across the board to make this a difficult afternoon if the Lions are even a little off in any phase. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces One Brutal Reality In Its Quarterback Search
The quarterback market in college football has moved into a different stratosphere, and Penn State is staring at that reality as it tries to sort out its next starter. According to a report by On3, top-tier quarterbacks are now expected to command between $4 million and $7 million a season through NIL deals, a range that underscores how expensive the position has become for programs trying to reload quickly.
For Penn State, the timing makes the challenge even sharper. Rocco Becht is set to depart, leaving Alex Manske as an unproven option, and the Nittany Lions have to navigate a search in a market where Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is reportedly finalizing a deal worth up to $9 million with incentives. The concern is not just finding the right fit on the field, but whether Penn State can keep pace financially with the schools chasing the same elite quarterbacks. [Read more 🡒]