Penn State football enters 2026 looking almost unrecognizable, and fans won’t have to wait long to see the new version in action. Matt Campbell will coach his first game at Beaver Stadium on Sept. 5, when the Nittany Lions open against Marshall in what figures to be the start of a very different era in Happy Valley.
Campbell’s arrival came after a messy search, and his first months on the job were just as frantic. The general manager described the six-week roster build as “very chaotic,” and the result is a Penn State team with more transfers on the roster than the program had combined since the transfer portal opened in 2018. That total sits at 40, including 24 players Campbell brought over from Iowa State, where he spent the previous decade.
A lot of those newcomers are expected to matter right away, and none more than quarterback Rocco Becht. The fifth-year senior is set to start for Campbell and offensive coordinator Tayor Mouser for the third straight season.
The schedule only adds to the intrigue. For the first time since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993, Ohio State is not on the slate. The Nittany Lions also avoid returning national champion Indiana and CFP qualifier Oregon, which has led national voices to call the schedule playoff worthy.
So far, four Penn State games have kickoff times and TV designations. Along with the opener against Marshall, the announced games include Week 2 against Temple, Week 3 against Buffalo and the Oct. 2 Big Ten road game at Northwestern.
The rest of the Big Ten slate will be filled in through the conference’s six- or 12-day window, with FOX, NBC and CBS handling most of the league’s inventory and Peacock carrying some streaming rights. Penn State has also appeared exclusively on Peacock during the regular season in each of the past two years, so at least one game on the schedule is expected to stream only there again.
One date that could draw a lot of attention is Oct. 17 at Michigan. Indiana hosts Ohio State that same day, which leaves Penn State-Michigan likely headed for either the CBS 3:30 p.m. ET slot or a night kickoff.
There is also a notable TV wrinkle on Sept. 12.
Penn State-Temple will air on ESPN2 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, giving Penn State an ESPN network broadcast for the first time since the 2022 season. Because ESPN owns the American Athletic Conference rights, that matchup lands on ESPN2.
The White Out still hasn’t been locked in, but Oct. 10 against USC looks like the clear favorite. A noon ET kickoff would be a tough fit given USC’s travel, so the game should work for either a 3:30 p.m. or night start. Penn State-USC makes the most sense for the annual White Out anyway, with the Trojans visiting Beaver Stadium for the first time in 32 years and the NBC evening window available while Notre Dame plays Stanford at 3:30.
For viewers, most of Penn State’s games should be easy enough to find on free television or through standard cable and internet packages. The bulk of the schedule is expected to land on FOX, CBS or NBC, with Temple as the main exception. Big Ten Network, FS1 and NBCSN are also part of the league’s media mix, while Fox One, Paramount+ and Peacock will serve streamers.
On the radio, Steve Jones and Jack Ham are back for another year on the Penn State Sports Network, with the stream available through Penn State’s website.
In Other News...
James Peoples Is Pushing For A Bigger Penn State Role One Way
James Peoples arrived at Penn State with the kind of transfer profile that usually invites attention for what he can do with the ball. Instead, one of the clearest early signs of his value has come when he does not have it. Matt Campbell singled out Peoples for his pass protection work, noting how his blocks helped extend plays that eventually turned into touchdown passes, a detail that matters plenty in a backfield where trust can earn more snaps as quickly as production can.
Peoples has spent the offseason sharpening that part of his game, and it is easy to see why the staff believes it can open the door to a larger role behind Carson Hansen. He also talked about the challenge of picking up blitzing Penn State defenders, which is often where young backs separate themselves from the pack. If he keeps handling that responsibility cleanly, the rest of his game may get a longer look, too. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Still Faces A Big Ono Lineup Decision
Masanosuke Ono looks set to be part of Penn State wrestlings lineup this season, but the bigger question is where he will fit. The former Ohio State standout has already shown some of the talent that made him such an intriguing addition, including a recent freestyle win over Ben Davino, and now he is working through the shift from freestyle to folkstyle as the Nittany Lions sort out his role.
The open debate is whether Ono lands at 133 or 141 pounds, two spots that would each ask something a little different of him in Penn States lineup puzzle. Ono said he is willing to wrestle wherever the coaches place him, though 157 pounds does not appear to be in play, leaving the staff with a decision that could shape the lower end of the lineup once the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Former Penn State Fan Favorite Is Rejoining James Franklin In Virginia
Journey Brown is heading back into college football, this time on the other side of James Franklins sideline. The former Penn State running back, whose playing career ended in 2020 after a medical retirement tied to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, has joined Franklins staff at Virginia Tech, adding another familiar name to a coach he once played for in Happy Valley.
Brown became a fan favorite during his two seasons at Penn State before his career was cut short, and his path since then has been anything but ordinary, including work in the NASCAR Cup Series. His specific title in Blacksburg has not been announced, but he is expected to work with the running backs, giving Franklin a trusted former player with a unique perspective as he settles into his new staff. [Read more 🡒]