Penn State has spent the first two weeks looking more like a team polishing the edges than one still searching for its identity. A 45-0 win over Marshall and a 29-7 trip through Temple have left Matt Campbell’s Nittany Lions with little drama so far, and now Buffalo comes to Beaver Stadium on Saturday before Big Ten play opens with Wisconsin in Week 4.
That makes Week 3 less about the scoreboard and more about the loose ends. Penn State has looked like a finished product in a lot of ways, but a few important questions still hang over this group if it wants to be more than just a fast start and a tidy record.
The biggest issue remains the run game.
Buffalo is the weakest opponent Penn State will see all season, and any success on the ground against the Bulls won’t suddenly prove the Nittany Lions can run the ball. Still, this is a useful chance to experiment. With a big favorite’s margin for error, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser can spread carries around to all four running backs, mix in different run concepts, and maybe even look at a different offensive line combination, even if the depth there probably doesn’t make that a long-term fix.
That doesn’t mean one game will solve the broader problem. In a case this messy, there usually isn’t just one culprit and there usually isn’t one easy answer. But Penn State has to start somewhere before Wisconsin arrives in Week 4.
On the other side of the ball, the run defense is also worth watching, even with the unit having given up just seven points through two games. The D’Anton Lynn defense, with defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe, is built around stopping the run with light boxes, and that’s why Malloe brought in so many 300-plus pound defensive tackles. Against Temple, though, Penn State didn’t really show that it had fully solved the problem.
This week could bring a boost inside. Armstrong Nnodim and Alijah Carnell are set to make their season debuts, and that added size in the middle should help answer a key question: can Penn State keep eating blocks and freeing up linebackers without having to pull extra bodies into the box?
The expectation is still that Penn State can handle Buffalo’s ground game, which has only 207 total yards through two games. The real test is whether the Nittany Lions can do it cleanly, without leaning on extra help.
Then there’s the back end of the defense, where the safety picture is still not fully settled heading into conference play.
Zion Tracy, who played a lot of safety for Jim Knowles last year, is back healthy and appears set to handle the primary nickel role alongside Josiah Zayas. That leaves the safety rotation to Marcus Neal Jr., Jeremiah Cooper, Jamison Patton, and Vaboue Toure.
Cooper has been working back from an injury that limited him in fall camp and is expected to start at free safety next to Neal, the starting strong safety. Patton has also logged a lot of snaps at safety, so any extra clarity and continuity there would matter as Penn State gets closer to the start of Big Ten play.
For now, Buffalo is the kind of opponent that can let Penn State keep testing, tweaking, and sorting through those issues without the pressure of a heavyweight fight. But the clock is already ticking toward Wisconsin, and the questions that matter most are the ones the Nittany Lions still need to answer.
In Other News...
Penn State May Have Found A Bigger Weapon Than Fans Realized
Penn State has spent the first two weeks seeing Zay Robinson in a little bit of everything, and the early returns suggest the redshirt freshman transfer from Iowa State may be carving out a bigger role than many expected. In the 45-0 win over Marshall, Robinson broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown, adding another flash point to an opening stretch in which he has already made an impact as a receiver and on special teams.
Robinson has handled punts and kickoffs, caught several passes and lined up at multiple receiver spots, giving the Nittany Lions a versatile option who can change field position and help the offense in different ways. His growing role has drawn praise from teammates and coach Matt Campbell, and Penn State will keep watching to see just how far his expanded workload can go as the season develops. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State May Watch Ohio State Steal Another Early Recruiting Win
Jordan Halls recruitment has quickly become one to watch for Penn State, which was the first Power Four program to offer the Ohio running back after his decommitment from Miami (OH). The three-star prospect has drawn attention from both Penn State and Ohio State, giving the Nittany Lions an early opening in a class-building race that matters as much for the future of the backfield as it does for bragging rights.
Ohio State is now hosting Hall for a visit, and that has put Penn State in the familiar position of trying to hold off a regional power with deep ties in the state. For both programs, the interest goes beyond one player, since each is looking to secure running back help in its 2027 class, but the current momentum appears to favor the Buckeyes unless Penn State can change the conversation soon. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Week 3 Just Got Bigger Than Fans Expected
Week 3 at Beaver Stadium is shaping up to carry a little extra weight, with Penn State planning a halftime tribute to its 1986 national championship football team. It adds a nostalgic layer to a game day that already figures to draw plenty of attention, giving fans a chance to salute one of the programs defining groups while the current team handles its own business on the field.
Elsewhere around the athletic department, the Big Ten has also unveiled the 2026-27 basketball schedules, with Penn States men set to open conference play on Dec. 8 and the women beginning league action on Dec. 6. And on the football side, Buffalo coach Matt Campbell has already pointed to wide receiver Chance Morrow as a player to watch, a reminder that there is plenty going on around Penn State as the season and calendar both start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]