Jaxon Smolik got the start at quarterback for Temple against the program he once called home, but Penn State made sure the ball stayed out of danger for long stretches and walked away with a 27-9 win Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Smolik, a former Penn State quarterback who spent three years with the Lions, finished with 10 completions for 59 yards. Temple’s passing game never really found traction, though Smolik did create some movement on the ground with 71 rushing yards on seven carries. He broke loose for a 47-yard run in the first quarter and added a 15-yard scramble in the third.
Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas delivered the game’s biggest early swing when he picked off Smolik in the first quarter and returned it to the Temple 5. The Lions couldn’t cash in fully, though, turning the ball over on downs at the Owls’ 2.
“I knew Tony pretty well,” Smolik said afterward.
“We came in the same (2023) class in the spring.
“It was a ‘Will’ blitz and (I) rolled out. He did a good job of seeing what we were doing and he dropped out of the blitz and got it. It was a good play on him.”
Penn State also got the kind of run-game performance it was looking for after leaning on a more defined backfield plan against Temple. The Lions used four running backs in their season-opening victory over Marshall, but this time Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace were barely part of the rotation, combining for just one carry.
Instead, Penn State turned to Carson Hansen as the starter and James Peoples as the primary change-of-pace option. The duo handled 26 carries for 136 yards, with Hansen producing a long run of 13 yards and Peoples adding a 12-yard burst.
“I think there were some really great Carson Hansen runs,” Penn State coach Matt Campbell said Saturday.
“I feel like I probably felt last week, you know. We’re like a hair off on some things.
“I thought there was probably good growth. I thought we were really physical at the point of attack again today.
“But the team that we want to be and the team that we were today are still not an equal to what we want to become.”
A few other notes from the day: Rojas’ interception was the fifth of his career. Penn State tight end Ben Brahmer has now caught at least one pass in 14 straight games, going back to his time at Iowa State. And quarterback Rocco Becht, now in his fifth year, has reached 28 career wins, along with nine games with at least three touchdown passes and 31 games with at least 200 passing yards.
In Other News...
Penn States Newcomers Are Already Becoming The Heart Of This Team
Penn States September win over Temple offered an early look at how quickly the new faces on this roster are settling in. In a 27-9 victory, the Nittany Lions leaned on a transfer-heavy 2026 group that has already become part of the teams identity, with several newcomers making their presence felt on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Rocco Becht was sharp, tight end Ben Brahmer was a reliable target, and the overall depth from the portal additions gave the game a very different feel than a typical early-season tune-up.
What stood out most was how many of those newcomers were involved in the decisive moments, not just filling snaps. Becht completed 21 of 27 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns, while Brahmer caught five passes for 78 yards and two scores, and other transfers chipped in across offense and defense as Penn State controlled the afternoon. For a program trying to blend established expectations with a roster full of fresh arrivals, this was the kind of performance that suggests the integration is happening faster than most teams can reasonably expect. [Read more 🡒]
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 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 🡒]