Penn State will face a variety of head coaches this season, some that they are familiar with and some they may never have faced before or even heard of. This week, they will be facing a relatively new head coach in the Big Ten, who has already logged an impressive win over the blue and white.
Here's more on Northwestern head coach David Braun.
David Braun, Northwestern Head Coach
Overall record: 21-20
Record against Penn State: 1-1
Record against ranked teams: 0-9
Record against Big Ten: 11-16
David Braun has only been with the Wildcats for three years, but during that time he has truly elevated the team to become a more relevant name in the Big Ten. He did not come in as a big name and also did not have the benefit of easing into the job either. The controversial drama surrounding Pat
Fitzgerald meant that Braun was entering a program in turmoil. And yet, it didn't even matter.
In his first full season with the team in 2023, Braun guided one of the biggest turnarounds in all of college football, leading them from 1-11 all the way to 8-5. His seven wins in the regular season were the most for any Northwestern coach in their first season. He also was the first Northwestern coach to lead them to a bowl game victory in his first season. Most impressively, his six game turnaround was also the biggest in college football history as well. As a result, he was named the Bear Bryant Newcomer of the Year.
However, what stands out most about Braun's success is his signature wins in such a short period of time. His first major win over Wisconsin on the road broke the country's longest road winning streak at the time. But the reason Penn State fans will feel a sense of frustration towards the Wildcats this season was because of how last year's matchup went between both teams.
On October 11, 2025, a week after Penn State lost on the road against UCLA, who was previously winless at the time, they returned to Beaver Stadium and were stunned by the Wildcats. While the UCLA loss was unacceptable, the Northwestern loss was even more impactful. During that game, former Penn State QB Drew Allar was injured and missed the rest of the season. Over the next couple of days, James Franklin was fired as well. That game changed the trajectory for both programs as Penn State barely made a bowl game.
Now, Braun has another unique opportunity to defeat the Nittany Lions again, in a similar fashion to last year. This time, it is at the new home of Northwestern football, Ryan Field. While Braun has several signature Big Ten wins, he is still winless against ranked wins. All that could change Friday night...and what a win it would be if he could get it.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: A quick glance at Northwestern head coach David Braun
