Saturday at Penn State carries a little extra voltage, and not just because it’s game day in Beaver Stadium.
For the Nittany Lions, it’s the start of a new chapter. For Iowa State’s staff and players, it’s a first look at one of college football’s biggest stages. The group making that trip includes head coach Matt Campbell, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, safeties coach Deon Broomfield and 24 players who were with the Cyclones last season.
That’s a different kind of arrival when you’re coming from Jack Trice Stadium, which holds 61,500. Beaver Stadium, even while going through a three-year, $700 million renovation, could be close to 109,000 this season.
Some of the players on the field already know what it feels like to cross over to the other side. Penn State linebacker Kooper Ebel spent 2025 at Iowa State, and he’s been thinking about the scene ahead.
“There’s nothing better than making a big play, a big tackle, and getting up and hearing the fans cheer you on,” Penn State linebacker Kooper Ebel said. He spent 2025 at Iowa State.
“Man, I’m getting chills talking about it. I’m big into visualization.
So I’ll be doing a lot of that through the next couple of days, gearing up to the game. Just visualizing making plays in Beaver Stadium.”
On the Penn State side, Iowa State redshirt junior transfer Trevor Buhr is set to start at left guard. He’s not new to managing the noise around a football game, but he admitted this one is different.
“I really try to keep all the emotional stuff out of it.” Buhr said early in the week.
“I’m so excited to see the stadium fill up.”
The matchup itself comes with Penn State holding a 2-0 series edge over Marshall. Oddsmakers have the Nittany Lions favored by 24.5 points, with the total set at 52.5.
The last time these two teams met was all the way back in 1930, when Penn State rolled to a 65-0 win in State College.
One key area to watch is Penn State’s linebackers against Marshall dual-threat quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson.
And there’s no shortage of turnover around this Penn State roster. The program brought in 62 new players in 2026, including 40 transfers.
As for the quarterback conversation, Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser pointed to what a healthy Rocco Becht can unlock.
“Play fast and have fun. When that guy’s playing clear-headed and we have the ball and he’s extending plays and throwing on time and he trusts what he sees, you could tell there’s another gear to that guy’s game.” -- Penn State OC Taylor Mouser on what a healthy Rocco Becht can do at quarterback.
In Other News...
Rocco Becht's Penn State Debut Raised One Very Real Question
Rocco Bechts first game in a Penn State uniform was the kind of debut that can change the mood around a quarterback room in a hurry. Against Marshall, he completed 13 of 18 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns, spreading the ball around with four different scoring throws and giving the offense the sort of easy rhythm coaches dream about when a new starter takes over.
Matt Campbells decision to go to backup Alex Manske after Penn State had already built a 31-0 lead only added to the conversation. Becht looked sharp, efficient and very much in command, and the performance left one very real question hanging over the program now: how long does Penn State keep leaning into the backup plan when the debut looked this ready? [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Are Already Judging One Big Matt Campbell Change
Matt Campbells first game as Penn States head coach drew plenty of attention beyond the usual season-opening buzz, because it gave fans their first real look at what the program might look like under his watch. After taking over in December as the 17th head coach in school history, Campbell arrived with the kind of reputation that tends to stir big expectations in Happy Valley, and plenty of people in the stands against Marshall were eager to see whether the program would feel different right away.
What stood out most was the reaction in the stadium, where many fans seemed to buy into the idea that Penn State was leaning back toward tradition and toughness. The hope around the program was obvious, even if the range of expectations was wide, with some already projecting a strong season and others treating this as the beginning of a longer transition. Either way, the first impression mattered, and it was clear plenty of eyes were on how Campbells version of Penn State would handle the early weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Defense Already Has A Freshman Forcing Big Decisions
A true freshman has already worked his way into Penn States defensive plans, and Josiah Zayas made his case quickly enough to earn a starting spot before taking the field against Marshall. For a secondary that values reliability and flexibility, that kind of early rise matters, especially when a young defender is showing he can handle more than one job on the back end.
Matt Campbell has pointed to Zayas versatility and the way he has made impactful plays in practice, and the early returns carried over into game action. He showed up around the line of scrimmage with tackles for loss and held up in coverage well enough to earn more trust, even with a few minor mistakes mixed in. For Penn State, the bigger question now is how much responsibility a freshman can absorb as the games get tougher. [Read more 🡒]