Next up in the opponent preview series is the Penn State Nittany Lions. The team that Rutgers (and several other teams around the region) love to hate the most, and the team that handed the Scarlet Knights a truly bitter and heartbreaking defeat 40-36 in Piscataway a season ago. Similar to Rutgers, Penn State is going through a bit of a transition as they settle into the Matt Campbell era after letting go of longtime head coach James Franklin midseason following some surprising losses.
However, an
easier Big Ten schedule might mean that the Nittany Lions gain their confidence by the time the Knights head into the Lions’ den in late November. This could be Rutgers’ hardest road game of the season, as the Knights will previously face Boston College, Maryland, Northwestern, and Wisconsin away from SHI Stadium. Rutgers will have had their chances at several Big Ten wins by this point, but how will the Nittany Lions look in their first year under Campbell?
Penn State Offense
The Nittany Lions will have a whole new look in 2026, with the offense featuring several former Iowa State Cyclones, including quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carson Hansen, and wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen.
The running back room will have a solid one-two punch, with Hansen rushing for 950 yards with the Cyclones while Ohio State transfer James Peoples will look to be his explosive counterpart with the ability to support the passing game from the backfield.
Penn State has often struggled lately at wide receiver, but Sowell and Eskildsen combined for over 1,000 receiving yards from Becht last year. In addition, sophomore Koby Howard flashed last season despite limited action and will likely start in the slot for the Lions.
At tight end, PSU returns Andrew Rapplayea, but brings in 6’ 7” pass-catcher Benjamin Brahmer and several other TEs from the Cyclones. The offensive line appears to be set with left guard Trevor Buhr, right guard Cooper Cousins, and right tackle Anthony Donkoh. At left tackle, former five-star recruit Malachi Goodman looks to be the top option, but there is an open competition, while Texas State transfer Brock Riker has the potential to be a solid center and anchor the offensive line.
Penn State Defense/ST
On defense, the Nittany Lions lost some of their high-end starters across their lineup, but they will be replaced by capable seniors and multiple transfers coming in. At defensive tackle, a couple of transfers in Armstrong Nnodim and Keanu Williams look to anchor the middle, while talented sophomore Yvan Kemajou is the leading candidate to start on one end of the line.
Senior transfer Ikenna Ezeogu will compete for the LDE spot, while on the opposite side, returning sophomore Max Granville will compete with Alexander McPherson, who transferred in from Colorado. At linebacker, star player Tony Rojas will return after tearing his ACL, while former Iowa State linebackers Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel will join him in State College.
In the secondary, the starters appear set, with Daryus Dixson pairing up with Audavion Collins as the outside cornerbacks, while nickel corner Zion Tracy will be a ballhawk in the slot position. The safety positions feature a pair of transfers from the Cyclones, with full safety Jeremiah Cooper and strong safety Marcus Cooper Jr. looking to be the last line of defense in Happy Valley.
Penn State has one of the top kickers in the game in Ryan Barker, who made 18-19 field goals and 44-45 extra points for the Nittany Lions last season. Mississippi State transfer Nathan Tiyce will take over at punter, while Koby Howard and Iowa State transfer Cam Wallace are among the top return options.
Schedule and Game Analysis
Penn State’s schedule is beneficial, which should give Matt Campbell’s squad a solid shot at competing for the College Football Playoff in Year 1. Their nonconference slate includes games against Marshall, at Temple (which will feel like a home game in Philadelphia), and back at home against Buffalo, which should all be easy wins.
The Big Ten slate opens with a Wisconsin team that finished 4-8 last year, and then a tricky road trip to the new stadium in Evanston to take on Northwestern, which tripped up Penn State last season in Happy Valley. After that, PSU faces its toughest stretch when it hosts USC in what will likely be the whiteout game before traveling to Ann Arbor for a high-profile clash against the Michigan Wolverines.
Penn State will get a chance to rebound against Purdue before traveling west to Seattle for a tough game against Washington. One week before Rutgers, Penn State takes on Minnesota, and it will look to string some wins together as the Lions visit Maryland to take on the Terrapins to end the season.
Rutgers has just two wins all-time against Penn State, the last coming in 1988, and the Knights have yet to defeat the Lions upon entering the Big Ten (although they came close in 2014, losing 13-10). Rutgers had their shot to take down PSU at home and were pushing back the Lions’ defensive line by three, and unfortunately, the most inopportune Kaliakmanis fumble returned for a touchdown changed the course of the game and season.
This year, the Scarlet Knights will look to erase those memories and could be coming off of some momentum depending on how the games at Wisconsin and versus Nebraska go. If they can head into Happy Valley with a firing offense and solid defense, there is a chance that Rutgers can snap their long losing skid to Penn State.
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