Penn State’s win over Marshall was enough to move the Nittany Lions up in the AP Top 25, but the real intrigue now is how the rest of their schedule stacks up after Week 1.
James Franklin’s team landed at No. 16 in Tuesday’s poll, a two-spot jump from its preseason placement at No. 18.
It’s also the first time since 2022 that Penn State has come out of the opening week sitting outside the Top 15. Even so, the Nittany Lions are clearly moving in the right direction and now get a chance to follow that up with another convincing performance against Temple.
The biggest game left on the slate - the White Out against USC on Oct. 10 - is shaping up to be a ranked showdown. The Trojans stayed put at No. 14 after opening 2-0, setting up what should be a top-25 matchup in Happy Valley.
Penn State’s trip to Ann Arbor on Oct. 17 could have carried that same kind of ranking juice, but Michigan fell out of the poll altogether. The Wolverines picked up 69 votes after a messy 13-12 win over Western Michigan, but that wasn’t enough to keep them inside the rankings after the Hail Mary finish and the controversy that followed.
Washington, which will host Penn State on Nov. 7, slipped two spots to No. 19 after beating Washington State 27-10 in the Apple Cup.
Minnesota, Penn State’s final listed opponent in the rankings picture, got four votes this week ahead of its Nov. 14 visit to State College.
In Other News...
Matt Campbell Sees Penn States Next Test Through One Painful Memory
Before Penn States next matchup, Matt Campbell found himself back in a different playoff setting altogether, one that still carries a sting more than two decades later. He was a defensive end for Mt. Union in a 1999 NCAA Division III semifinal against Rowan, a game coached by K.C. Keeler that went to overtime and snapped Mt. Unions long winning streak while ending its run at another title.
Campbell said he has nothing but respect for Keeler, and the memory matters because it shapes how he sees what is coming next. He remembers that semifinal as a physical game, the kind decided by leverage, toughness and a few plays at the margins, and that is the same lens he is using to frame the challenge ahead for his current team. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State May Have Found A Backup Fans Need To Watch
Alex Manskes first Penn State appearance carried far more weight than a typical late-game quarterback cameo. The redshirt freshman returned from open-heart surgery to make his debut in the win over Marshall, and he looked steady right away, completing six of eight passes and adding a run while giving the offense a composed presence behind the starters.
The bigger takeaway for Penn State is what his brief showing suggested about the depth chart and the kind of player he can become. Coaches and teammates have already pointed to his athletic ability and leadership, and Manske brings an unusual side note too: elite golf skills that hint at the competitiveness that seems to follow him around. For a team that always keeps an eye on quarterback development, hes suddenly a name worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Young Standouts Are Pushing For Bigger Early Roles
Penn States opener gave the Nittany Lions a first look at several young players who could shape the early part of the season, and the follow-up against Temple offers another chance to see how real that momentum is. Koby Howard flashed enough in Week 1 to be worth tracking, while Sowell fit the possession-receiver role the staff has been searching to define and Quinton Martin Jr. showed why the staff is interested in expanding his work at running back.
On the other side of the ball, defensive end Bacon made a strong first impression, and Granvilles return from injury adds another name to the list of players worth watching as the rotation settles in. None of that guarantees a bigger role will come immediately, but it does suggest Penn State has more early-season options than it may have expected, with Temple serving as a useful next checkpoint. [Read more 🡒]