Penn State opens its 2026 season Saturday against Marshall in Beaver Stadium, and the first year of the Matt Campbell era arrives with a roster that looks very different from the one the Nittany Lions rolled out a year ago.
That overhaul has fueled plenty of offseason chatter, including the idea that Campbell is simply importing Iowa State to State College. But that version of the story misses the bigger picture.
Campbell did bring a significant number of Cyclones with him, yes, but he also kept most of Penn State’s best players and added only the top end of the 2025 Iowa State roster. The result is closer to what this team might have looked like anyway, just with a major boost from the best pieces Campbell had at his previous stop.
In that sense, Penn State is in far better shape than it likely would have been without the coaching change.
The passing game looks like the swing factor for the season, and it starts with Rocco Becht at quarterback. The running game should be solid, but not enough to carry the offense on its own.
Becht has to be better than he was last year, when he was dealing with an injury in his non-throwing shoulder. Now healthy, he has a chance to be very good for Penn State, and if he is, the Nittany Lions should have a path to eight wins even with the schedule they face.
What pushes this team higher, though, is what happens around Becht. Tight ends Ben Brahmer, Gabe Burkle and Andrew Rappleyea, along with wide receivers Chase Sowel l and Brett Eskildsen, will decide how explosive the offense can become. If those pass catchers can create big plays, Penn State’s ceiling rises fast.
There are still some clear pressure points on the roster, and the interior offensive line is one of them. Penn State should be strong at tackle with Malachi Goodman on the left and Anthony Donkoh on the right, while Garrett Sexton and Owen Aliciene provide depth there.
Inside, the starters are Trevor Buhr, Brock Riker and Cooper Cousins, but the options behind them are thinner. Dom Rulli is expected to back up Riker, though he has had trouble staying healthy this offseason, and Vaea Ikakoula has missed most of fall camp with an injury.
If an interior starter goes down, the line could unravel quickly.
On defense, Max Granville is a name to keep close tabs on. Penn State’s defense should be strong under coordinator D’Anton Lynn, but it does not have the same kind of proven edge firepower the Nittany Lions have leaned on in recent years.
Yvan Kemajou, Ikenna Ezeogu, Alex McPherson and others should all have roles, but Granville is the one who could change a game. The third-year defensive end has lost a lot of time to injury, but he is healthy now and looks more physically impressive than ever.
He was praised for his pass-rush ability under the previous staff, and he could lead the team in sacks if everything breaks right.
The deepest concern might be outside corner, where Daryus Dixson and Audavion Collins are the key pieces. Jahmir Joseph gives Penn State a solid third option, but the drop-off behind that group is steep.
Lynn would likely prefer to move Zion Tracy or Jeremiah Cooper outside before relying too heavily on the next layer of cornerbacks. Ibn McDaniels and Christian Askew are the next names up, but neither is ready to handle Big Ten play on the outside right now.
If one of Dixson or Collins gets hurt, the defense could be in real trouble.
The schedule, though, gives Penn State a real chance to make noise. The Nittany Lions avoid Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana, and the two toughest road games - Washington and Michigan - are against teams that should be in their neighborhood talent-wise.
USC comes to Beaver Stadium for the White Out, and that’s a tough ask for any visitor crossing the country. Ten wins is there for the taking.
Still, there are hazards lurking elsewhere.
Minnesota, which has been a steady eight- or nine-win team under P.J. Fleck, could be dangerous in November.
Wisconsin should have better quarterback play and will be Campbell’s first Big Ten game. Northwestern will open its brand-new stadium against Penn State on a Friday night, with Chip Kelly now calling the offense.
None of those should be treated like automatic wins.
Even with those warning signs, Penn State looks like a playoff contender. The roster is good enough, the coaching staff should be an upgrade from last season, and the schedule is friendly enough to make 10 wins a realistic target. That kind of finish would likely put the Nittany Lions in position for an at-large College Football Playoff bid.
For Campbell, this is as clean a first-year setup as he could reasonably ask for. Now it comes down to doing the work on the field and turning that opportunity into the start of a new Penn State era.
In Other News...
Penn State Now Has An Off-Field Issue Fans Will Watch Closely
Penn State has an off-field situation to monitor as fall approaches, with freshman receiver Ben Whitver facing legal trouble stemming from a July 11 incident. Court records show Whitver was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and one count of driving the wrong way, a development that adds an early layer of concern around a young player trying to settle into college life and the program.
Whitver is due in court for a preliminary hearing on September 30, and the case arrives with the sort of uncertainty that can linger around a roster spot before the season gets fully rolling. His record otherwise appears clean aside from a minor traffic offense earlier this year, but this is now a situation Penn State fans will be watching closely as the calendar moves toward the start of the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Backup QB Is Forcing His Way Into The Offense
Alex Manskes return has become one of the more encouraging subplots around Penn States quarterback room heading into the opener against Marshall. The backup has come all the way back after open heart surgery, and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said Manske is expected to play a significant role on offense, a notable vote of confidence for a player still working his way back into the full rhythm of game week.
Mouser praised Manskes talent and versatility, and starter Rocco Becht has also sounded optimistic about where the young quarterback is headed and what he can add to the team. For Penn State, the bigger picture is obvious: if Manske keeps building on this momentum, he could become more than just insurance behind Becht, giving the offense another dimension early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Just Got A Tough NFL Cutdown Reality Check
The NFL preseason closed with a familiar mix of promise and harsh roster math for former Penn State players. Sean Clifford helped his case with a touchdown pass for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dani Dennis-Sutton flashed with his first NFL sack for the Green Bay Packers, and Dom DeLuca was active enough for the Baltimore Ravens to lead the team in tackles during the summer slate. Even with those moments, the final cutdown deadline still had the last word, as teams trimmed to their regular-season plans and left several ex-Nittany Lions on the outside looking in.
The Chargers receiver room offered the clearest snapshot of how thin the margin can be. KeAndre Lambert-Smith survived the final cuts and made the Los Angeles roster, while Liam Clifford and Devonte Ross were not as fortunate. For Penn State fans tracking the league, it was one of those weekends that showed both sides of the transition from college standout to NFL survivor: a few encouraging flashes, and a few hard reminders that impressive preseason tape does not always guarantee a job. [Read more 🡒]