Quinton Martin Jr. didn’t take over Penn State’s backfield on Saturday, but he made it impossible to ignore him.
After sitting out the Nittany Lions’ Week 2 win over Temple, the redshirt sophomore got his shot in Penn State’s 55-13 Week 3 win over Buffalo and flashed the kind of burst that had so many people talking about him in the first place. On his second carry, Martin broke multiple tackles and turned it into a 61-yard gain, a reminder of the explosiveness he showed in the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson.
That’s the version of Martin that had a lot of the fanbase assuming he’d be a fixture in the backfield, even after head coach Matt Campbell brought Carson Hansen with him from Iowa State and added former Buckeye James Peoples.
Martin finished with exactly 100 yards on 10 carries, and his 4.3 yards per carry on the other nine runs matched Hansen’s season average. That outing was enough to make sure he’ll keep getting touches in Big Ten play. It was not enough to move him ahead of Hansen and Peoples as Penn State’s top option.
The bigger picture is pretty clear: Penn State has four solid running backs, including Cam Wallace, but no true headliner. The upside is still there for a productive ground game. The catch is that it’s going to have to come through a committee.
And against Buffalo, that committee finally looked the part.
After two weeks of trouble getting traction on the ground, Penn State rolled up 269 rushing yards and averaged 7.8 yards per carry. The Nittany Lions had entered the game with just one run of 15 yards or more - a 16-yarder - and then popped off five such plays against the Bulls, including long gains of more than 50 yards from Martin and Wallace.
Outside of Wallace, who was mostly working alongside backups late in the second half, Penn State’s other three running backs all posted a success rate of at least 50 percent. That was exactly the kind of day Taylor Mouser’s offense needed.
Still, the opponent matters. Buffalo looks like a MAC bottom-feeder this year and missed a bowl in 2025, so it’s fair to wonder how much of this carries over to Wisconsin in Week 4.
What should carry over, though, is how Penn State uses the group. Mouser and running backs coach Savion Huggins should keep splitting the work among Hansen, Peoples, and Martin before garbage time starts to tilt the picture.
Hansen is the best runner between the tackles. Peoples brings the most value as a receiver and pass protector.
Martin has the best home-run ability. But all three can handle three-down work, and all three have enough power to move the chains in short-yardage situations.
That gives Mouser and Huggins a real decision to make each week. They can lean into whichever back has the hot hand and keep the whole room fresh, including Wallace if needed. It does come with a risk: if the touches stay too spread out, nobody may find a true rhythm.
For now, though, that’s the reality Penn State has to live with. Until one back clearly separates, the committee is the answer.
In Other News...
Penn State Has A New Injury Worry Before Wisconsin
Penn State came out of its Week 3 win over Buffalo with a couple of fresh concerns, even if the immediate outlook sounds relatively manageable. Starting center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea both went down in the first half, briefly thinning out two spots the Nittany Lions would rather keep stable as the schedule tightens.
Head coach Matt Campbell called both players dinged up and said neither injury appears serious, adding that either one likely could have returned if the game had demanded it. Still, with Wisconsin next on the Big Ten slate, Penn State will be watching closely to make sure both are ready, because the margin for error gets a lot smaller once conference play starts to bite. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Tight End Concern Fans Know Too Well
Penn States passing game took a hit in Week 3 when Andrew Rappleyea left the Buffalo game in the first half with a right shoulder injury and did not return. The tight end room has been a point of emphasis in the offense, and losing a player in that spot can ripple through both the run game and the short passing game, especially early in the season when roles are still settling.
The good news for the Nittany Lions is that there is no shortage of options waiting behind him. Gabe Burkle, Benjamin Brahmer and Finn Furmanek are all available to absorb snaps and keep the position group moving, even as the team waits for more clarity on Rappleyeas status. Penn State could also be monitoring the health of starting center Brock Riker, who left the game earlier and did not return, though it is still unclear whether his exit was injury-related. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Found A New Playmaker Fans Will Be Talking About
Penn States 55-13 win over Buffalo at Beaver Stadium gave the Nittany Lions plenty to like beyond the final score, and one of the biggest takeaways was the emergence of Koby Howard as a new offensive spark. Howard found the end zone in more than one way, breaking loose for a 20-yard rushing touchdown and later turning a pass into a 70-yard receiving score, the kind of all-purpose burst that tends to stick with a fan base.
The supporting cast did its part, too, as Caleb Bacon and Yvan Kemajou helped set the tone defensively with tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Zay Robinson also added value in the return game with meaningful punt return yardage, giving Penn State another layer of field-position help in a game that looked comfortable but still offered a few fresh names worth watching as the season builds. [Read more 🡒]