Penn State 2026 Football Preview: Coaching Changes, Schedule Breakdown, and Season Expectations

Last season Penn State football had a (modern) historically bad season. Going 7-6 (including their bowl game against mich), losing games that they were heavily favored to win in. Half way through the season they fired their head coach.The Nittany Lions enter the 2026 college football season with fresh faces and a cake walk schedule.

New Penn State coach Matt Campbell on leaving Iowa State and his plan to attack recruiting.

This puts Penn State in an interesting position being in between high and low expectations with an easy schedule but new staff. With James Franklin being fired mid season and both defensive (Jim Knowles) and offensive (Andy Kotelnicki) coaches leaving, new coaches were brought in to fill those roles. 

Matt Campbell has filled the head coach position leaving Iowa State after going 8-4 in the Big 12. The new offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser followed Campbell from Iowa State, and new defensive coordinator is D’Anton Lynn, a former Nittany Lion and former defensive coordinator for USC. Mouser brings a creative offensive scheme and Lynn has a very aggressive young style defense scheme.

It's good for Penn State going into this season playing lower level competition in out of conference games, while also avoiding the Big 10’s power houses: Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon. 

This will be a good transition year for Penn State to feel out their new coaching staff, and