UNIVERSITY PARK — As new head coach Matt Campbell and the Nittany Lion football team prepare for the 2026 season, the team’s schedule has been described in many different ways, from challenging to favorable to less demanding than usual.
“Manageable” is a word that is often tossed around because there is no Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon to contend with. But considering the teams still there—Michigan, USC, Wisconsin, and Washington, among others—is it really manageable? Or something much farther up the difficulty scale.
Let’s have a look:
September 5, Marshall H
The Thundering Herd is planning to come back from a 5-7 season under head coach Tony Gibson, and with nine preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selections (six First Team), that could very well be what will happen.
Having senior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and many offensive weapons back, the Marshall “O” looks dangerous.
If they can shore up a porous pass defense — near the bottom of the NCAA — it could be a turnaround year.
And what better way to show off their stuff than an opening day matchup at Beaver Stadium.
September 12, at Temple
Temple, under head coach K.C. Keeler is aiming for a bowl appearance after a six-year absence. The Owls were 5-7 last season, but with transfer quarterback Jaxson Smolik (from Penn State) and a crowded receiver room with tight end Peter Clarke, they plan on moving the ball.
There’s work to do along both lines and a lot will be revealed about the Owls in the first two games against Rhode Island and Penn State.
September 19, Buffalo H
Big changes for the Bulls this year with over 30 new faces on the roster and major turnovers in the coaching staff with a new OC and DC.
There will be a new quarterback and a new O-line but Buffalo still plans to compete for the top spots in the MAC. The first games of the season will be critical for the Bulls.
September 26, Wisconsin (Homecoming)
This is the Big Ten opener against a traditional conference rival on Homecoming at Beaver Stadium.
Can’t get much more pivotal than that.
But Wisconsin is only 17-21 under head coach Luke Fickell and the word is that there is lots of pressure to improve in Madison.
They’ll start with dual-threat quarterback transfer Colton Joseph from Old Dominion who threw for 2624 yards and ran for 1007. Couple that with a new emphasis on an inside running game and a reinfused defense from the portal, and Fickell just may pull it all off.
This game at Penn State will be a major test for both teams.
Friday, October 2, at Northwestern
Friday? Yes, it’s true on national television and it will be an important game for the Lions.
Things right off the top about Northwestern: brand new stadium, Ryan Field, to be opened for this game, new OC Chip Kelly revamping the offense, and two top quarterback transfers in Aidan Chiles from Michigan State and Nicco Marchiol from West Virginia.
Leading rusher Caleb Komolafe is joined by Florida State transfer Gavin Sawchuk.
Northwestern wants to become a big challenger again and this night will be wild.
October 10, USC H
No time to rest. USC brings back 15 starters with a top-5 rated recruiting class. New DC in Gary Patterson, possible Heisman candidate in QB Jayden Maiava and All-America possibles at linebacker and DB.
USC has two tough games prior to this one, and it will be very interesting to see where the Trojans and Lions are at this point in the season.
October 17, at Michigan
The Lions go from a massive home game to a massive road trip to arch-rival Michigan.
The Wolverines were 9-4 last season but new head coach Kyle Whittingham will try to return them to the dominant teams of the past.
QB Bryce Underwood is back with new OC Jason Beck, and the defense will feature a deep, experienced and talented secondary to anchor a new D-line.
Penn State already knows that nothing comes easy at Michigan Stadium.
October 24, Bye Week.
October 31, Purdue H
The Boilermakers are coming off a 2-10 season with a winless Big Ten campaign.
It will be a rebuilding year for second-year head coach Barry Odom, but there are 53 new players on the roster, and forecasters are predicting some big improvements.
Penn State will be coming off a much-needed off week.
November 7, at Washington
November starts with the longest trip of the season to play the Big Ten and Playoff contender Huskies.
They were 9-4 last year and star quarterback Demond Williams will return with what could be an elite defense. There are players to replace at running back and receiver with top freshmen, but the OL and DL look very strong. At this point in the season, both of these teams will need a win.
November 14, Minnesota H
Don’t look past this one. The Gophers were 8-5 last season with a bowl win and the outlook is positive for them to continue and possibly contend in the conference.
Possible future NFL QB prospect Drake Lindsey returns, and the Gophers kept their core talent intact through the off-season and portals.
November 21, Rutgers H
Head coach Greg Schiano is looking to improve on the Knight’s 5-7 finish last season with a new DC, Travis Johnson, and 10 incoming new defensive players.
There is a quarterback battle for No. 1, but star running back Antwan Raymond and star receiver KJ Duff are back.
This is an intense rivalry and this looks to be a big game for both teams.
November 28, at Maryland
Maryland will be rebuilding this season after back-to-back 4-8 seasons, but there is optimism about quarterback Malik Washington and the offense and what looks like a strong front line and defensive backfield.
After a 1-8 BIG season in 2025, there is pressure to improve.
For Penn State, this final game could have a great impact.
There we have it. During the season, there will be detailed pre-games for every team here, but looking at these sketches for sure does not create a picture of anything easy.
