When you think of Penn State football, you think about stability, vigilance, consistency and prowess.
But that was then.
This is now.
This is the state of the Penn State University football program.
When you think of Penn State football in the now, you think instability, desperation to build a roster and unprepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
It’d be hard to view the team’s last two losses as growing pains. But the fact is that this version of Penn State isn’t one of an established, tradition-based athletic program with any sort of continuity in recruiting and in the coaching staff.
And, sadly, Wisconsin’s upset 24-20 win over Penn State on Sept. 26 felt a lot like the 22-21 loss to Northwestern a year ago. Both games, ironically, were homecoming games. But if that wasn’t enough to motivate Coach Matt Campbell to raise the alert to DEFCON 1, the fanbase of Nittany Nation is hoping (maybe against hope) that the Nittany Lions can learn valuable lessons from their humiliating 34-13 loss to Northwestern last Friday night.
The Nittany Lions are a team in transition. Campbell was hired in early December 2025. He didn’t have much time to recruit at the high school level. So, he did the next best thing – lead a caravan of Iowa State players to Pennsylvania to play for him. A total of 24 players, not to mention the coaching staff, formed the 2026 Penn State team.
The fallout that occurred when James Franklin was fired following a three-game losing streak in 2025 set off a domino effect that resulted in numerous recruits spanning 2026 and 2027 rescinding their commitments to Penn State. It felt like the football program itself was likely headed for regression.
But not Penn State. Yes, Penn State.
Hopes were high when the Nittany Lions easily disposed of their first three (mediocre) opponents. First, it was a 45-0 win in Campbell’s coaching debut in Happy Valley. Then, a less impressive but nonetheless decisive 27-9 win over Temple. And, to top it off, Penn State shredded mighty Buffalo, 55-13.
Unfortunately, Penn State failed to factor in all variables for the upcoming Big Ten schedule. Northwestern ran straight through and around the defense to the tune of 400-plus yards.
That is not a good look for a team that was ranked as high as 13th before dropping out of the Top 25 following the Wisconsin game. Apparently, the pollsters lost faith in the Penn State brand.
I wrote a column that was skeptical about the immediate future of Penn State’s football operations. Too much happened too fast for anyone to think about what is best for the players and the fanbase. Who knows? Maybe the university should have promoted then-interim head coach Terry Smith to full-time head coach. Smith was a standout player for Penn State in the early 1990s. He was a known quantity and led the team for the final six games of the 2025 season. The Nittany Lions came within a hairsbreadth of defeating eventual national champion Indiana. After that loss, Penn State rebounded to win its last four games.
An air of uncertainty is palpable. What if Penn State loses to USC? What if the season comes off the rails? Penn State’s conference schedule is favorable, meaning every team on the schedule can be defeated. The Nittany Lions dodged Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon. But they are already 0-2 in the Big Ten with games against USC, Michigan, Purdue, Washington, Minnesota, Rutgers and Maryland on the horizon.
Again, what if?
You can’t easily make Campbell a one-and-done coach. Coaches need at least three years to develop their programs, recruiting players that will fit the schemes and identity (whatever that means).
The cost of waiting too long to part ways with Franklin has led to the current state of affairs. Let’s hope the leadership embraces the place that football has at Penn State and treats it with the respect and deference it deserves.
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