Penn State’s transfer class kept leaving fingerprints on the game Saturday, and the Nittany Lions leaned on that group again while beating Temple 27-9 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The 2026 roster includes 40 transfer players, and several of them were central to the win over the Owls. The biggest impact came on offense, where quarterback Rocco Becht and a pair of Iowa State pass catchers helped drive the attack.
Becht, who came over from Iowa State, completed 21 of 27 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran five times for 11 yards.
Tight end Ben Brahmer was a major target, finishing with five catches for 78 yards and two scores. Wideout Chase Sowell added five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown, with 41 of those yards coming after the catch.
Penn State also got production on the ground from another set of transfers. Carson Hansen carried 19 times for 84 yards and added two catches for 13 yards, while James Peoples finished with seven carries for 42 yards.
The tight end room had another transfer making his Penn State debut. Gabe Burkle started on offense but did not record a catch. On the line, Trevor Buhr started at left guard and Brock Riker started at center.
The receiving depth behind the top targets also showed up in smaller ways. Brett Eskildsen caught two passes for 11 yards, and Zay Robinson had three catches for 34 yards while also returning two punts for 22 yards.
Penn State’s defense got its own steady contributions from the transfer group. Ike Ezeogu recorded four tackles, including three solo stops, and added a quarterback hurry. Cale Bacon had two solo tackles, while Alexander McPherson was credited with one tackle.
Inside, Siale Taupaki logged three solo tackles and a tackle for loss, and Keanu Williams added two solo tackles. At linebacker, Kooper Ebel had two tackles, one solo, and Cael Brezina led the group with six tackles, five of them solo.
The secondary chipped in too. Jeremiah Cooper and Jamison Patton each had four tackles, with three solos apiece, and Marcus Neal Jr. added three solo tackles.
Nathan Tiyce handled the lone punt for Penn State, booting it 35 yards and helping pin Temple at its 3-yard line with coverage help from Audavion Collins.
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Penn State Showed Exactly How Much Rocco Becht Already Means
The reaction around Rocco Becht in the Temple game said plenty about where he stands with Penn State. When Becht took a late hit near the sideline, the response from his teammates and coaches was immediate, a flash of protectiveness that reflected how tightly this group has bonded around its quarterback. Matt Campbell pointed to that unity afterward, and it fit with the way Penn State has looked to rally behind Becht as he has grown into a steadier, more confident presence.
Bechts rise has been one of the clearer on-field stories of the season, especially after the setbacks that had slowed him before. He has settled in as one of the Big Tens most efficient passers and has given Penn State a level of stability it did not always have a year ago. The hit itself will fade, but the response around it showed how much his teammates already trust him, and how much the program has come to depend on him. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Temple Win Revealed Something Worth Watching In The Backfield
For one afternoon, Jaxon Smolik turned the matchup into a familiar sight for Penn State fans, only in a different uniform. The former Nittany Lions quarterback was Temples primary signal-caller against his old team, throwing for modest yardage but doing enough with his legs to keep the Owls moving. Penn State also got a close-up look at its own defensive speed when linebacker Tony Rojas jumped a Smolik pass and returned it to the Temple 5-yard line, one of the cleaner momentum swings in the game.
On the other side, the Lions backfield may have been the more encouraging subplot. Carson Hansen and James Peoples combined to rush for 136 yards, and coach Matt Campbell pointed to the groups physicality and growth after the game. For Penn State, that kind of production is exactly the sort of detail that can matter later in the season, especially if the run game keeps looking like a reliable part of the offense rather than just a supporting piece. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Win Put One Nittany Lion On Everyones Radar
Penn States 27-9 win over Temple in Week 2 did more than keep the Nittany Lions moving in the right direction. It also put tight end Benjamin Brahmer on a bigger stage, as he led the team in receiving yards and touchdowns while giving the offense a target who kept showing up when Penn State needed a play.
There was still enough on the tape to leave the staff with work to do, especially after Temple found room on the ground against a run defense that has not quite settled in. But amid the unevenness, Tony Rojas has been a steady defensive presence through two games, and the broader takeaway for Penn State is that Brahmers name is now one more opponents will have to account for as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]