Penn State’s 27-9 win over Temple at Lincoln Financial Field came with a little bit of everything: a fast start, a clutch strike just before halftime, and a defense that kept the Owls bottled up through the air.
The biggest swing of the afternoon arrived in the final seconds of the first half. Rocco Becht found Ben Brahmer for a 23-yard touchdown with :08 left, pushing the Nittany Lions to a 10-3 lead and giving the game its defining first-half moment.
Becht was sharp throughout. He finished 21-of-27 for 268 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, and he opened the game in style with a 56-yard post to Koby Howard on the first snap.
He also helped set the tone for a Penn State offense that had a few rough patches, including a first-quarter stretch in which the Lions went 0-for-4 on third and fourth down. Later, Becht was flagged for an illegal forward pass on second-and-goal at the Temple 5 after he was across the line of scrimmage.
Penn State’s defense did plenty of heavy lifting too. Tony Rojas led the team with seven tackles and added a 13-yard interception return, while the Lions held Temple to just 107 passing yards. Temple did manage to win the rushing battle, 176-148, despite running one fewer play on the ground, 34-33.
There were still a few flash points for the Owls. Jaxon Smolik broke loose for a 47-yard scramble late in the first quarter to change field position, and Nathan Tiyce later pooched a 35-yarder that Penn State caught at the Temple 3. But Temple also hurt itself, especially when Kolin Dinkins was penalized for a personal foul after a late hit near the Penn State sideline, sparking a brief scrum.
Penn State’s offense had its share of near-misses. Chase Sowell couldn’t haul in a perfect 48-yard touchdown throw in the second quarter, and Brahmer dropped one in the third.
Brahmer did bounce back from a fumble that went out of bounds. The Lions also got a big response from James Peoples, who finished a 12-yard run by leaping over Denzel Chavis late in the second quarter.
The run game and play calling produced a few clean moments, too. On third-and-6 from the Temple 16, Penn State called a flanker screen and Sowell turned it into a touchdown for a 17-3 lead. That advantage later led to a more conservative third-down call on third-and-8 in the third quarter, when Carson Hansen was sent into the line for 3 yards and the field goal unit came on.
Penn State’s defense also delivered some pop beyond the interception. Siale Taupaki drove a Temple lineman back into Smolik for a 7-yard sack in the first quarter, and Jeremiah Cooper delivered a hard shot on Kevian Mason in the second quarter after a 14-yard gain. Ryan Barker, meanwhile, missed a 33-yard field goal left on Penn State’s opening drive.
In Other News...
Buffalo Coach Sees One Clear Problem With Facing Penn State
Pete Lembo had plenty to say about what Buffalo is walking into at Beaver Stadium, and his breakdown came with the kind of specificity that usually comes only after a coach has spent real time studying an opponent. The Buffalo head coach pointed to Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas, a player he once recruited at South Carolina, and also singled out middle linebacker Kooper Ebel as a steady defensive presence. He did not stop there, either, adding praise for quarterback Rocco Becht and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig as he sized up a roster that looks deep enough to challenge almost every phase of the game.
For Penn State, the interesting part is not just that an opponent noticed the obvious talent. It is that Lembo framed the matchup around the parts of the roster that can tilt a game before the box score ever settles in, from defense to special teams to the quarterback spot. When an opposing coach comes away talking in those terms, it usually means he sees only one clean path for his own team, and it is not the easy one. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Spending Reality Just Raised A Bigger Contender Question
Penn States place in the new college football financial order is getting harder to ignore. The Nittany Lions projected 2026 roster budget sits in the $29 million to $32 million range, a number that leaves them 21st nationally and seventh in the Big Ten, well behind the sports biggest spenders such as Ohio State and Oregon. In a league where roster construction has become as much about money as recruiting, that gap is a real part of the conversation around how Penn State keeps pace.
The roster churn only sharpens the issue. Penn State has 62 new players this season, including 40 transfers, and the program has had to navigate the balancing act of holding onto key contributors while adding talent through the portal. Matt Campbell has managed the budget pressures by keeping important pieces in place and bringing in transfers from his previous team, but the broader question remains whether that approach is enough for Penn State to stay in the same competitive tier as the leagues highest rollers. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State May Have Found Its Next Tight End Problem For Defenses
A new tight end presence has already started to change how Penn State can attack defenses. Benjamin Brahmer, the 6-foot-7, 250-pound transfer from Iowa State, has played two games and wasted little time making himself part of the conversation, catching six of nine targets for 87 yards and three touchdowns while flashing the kind of size and versatility that usually creates problems for opposing coverages.
Brahmers value has gone beyond the stat sheet, too. His strong pass-blocking grade and the trust he earned from quarterback Rocco Becht at Iowa State point to a player who can help in multiple phases, and the early signs around his physical development have only added to the intrigue about how high his ceiling might be at tight end. If this is just the start, Penn State may have found a matchup piece defenses will be forced to account for every week. [Read more 🡒]