As is the case every year, the first two weeks of the 2026 college football season have given us plenty of surprises. Every year, we get a stunning result, some of great magnitude, some less so. Wether it’s Rutgers looking hapless against a UMass team that was on a 16-game losing steak, or Oregon doing their best to replicate Penn State’s 2025 collapse, we’ve already seen many expectations upended, and it’s not even week 3.
Penn State nearly joined in on the fun. A series of miscues early turn what
could have been another strong performance into a big opportunity for growth as the season progresses. It all started when Rocco Becht found Koby Howard for a 56-yard pass, setting the expectation of another easy afternoon. It wouldn’t be so, as the Lions stalled inside the 10. Neither team found the end zone in the first quarter. Both offenses moved the ball, but the first quarter ended scoreless, 0-0.
The second quarter came alive with three scores. Temple’s Carl Hardin made a 24-yard field goal to put the Owls up 3-0. Penn State answered with Ryan Barker’s 31-yard field goal, tying the game 3-3. Then, with just 14 seconds left before halftime, Rocco Becht found Benjamin Brahmer for a 23-yard touchdown pass and Penn State took a 10-3 lead into the locker room. Everything in between, however, was a series of missed opportunities by the Lions. Dropped passes, missed field goals, you name it. Penn State did everything in their power to keep Temple in the game.
Credit to the Owls is due, however, as they gave the Lions their best shot, and found themselves in a game that, even if it didn’t feel threatening, it looked so on the scoreboard. Once they dusted themselves off, Penn State controlled the third quarter completely. Becht connected with Chase Sowell for a 16-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 17-3. Late in the quarter, Barker added a 39-yard field goal, pushing Penn State’s advantage to 20-3 heading into the fourth.
The fourth quarter brought more scoring from both sides. Becht threw his third touchdown pass of the day, an 23-yard strike to Brahmer, and Barker’s extra point made it 27-3. Temple answered late, with Ajani Sheppard rushing for a 3-yard touchdown to cut the deficit. Temple then went for a two-point conversion, but De’Carlos Young was stopped short, and the attempt failed. The game ended with Penn State on top, 27-9.
On a day where several teams went on the road and looked mortal against inferior opponents, or, in the case of Oregon, looked dead against inferior opponents, Penn State got the gift of all gifts: They went on the road, worked through the crack cocaine that is “adversity,” against a team that never really stood a chance. They got to put plenty on film, and get to teach the lesson with a win. That’s the best kind of crack cocaine.
Stats and Storylines
0 – No turnovers through two games, with a much more aggressive passing attack. Me like.
7 – Pass catchers in the game. It’s not a fluke, folks!
77.7% – Becht’s completion percentage against Temple, five points better than Marshall.
71 – Rushing yards by Jaxon Smolik. The Lions will need to figure out how to stop the quarterback run pronto, or Big Ten teams will key in on that.
Better… – Running game looked better in this one, but still ways away from where it needs to be.
