For Penn State's Matt Campbell, the Road Won't Get Easier

Campbell's Year 1 schedule with the Nittany Lions likely will be his friendliest.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the sideline against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There’s good news and bad news for the Penn State football program. The good news is that there’s always tomorrow. The bad news is that tomorrow doesn’t look a whole lot easier.

For Penn State, the next 29 games feature a heavy gauntlet of programs that would happily send the Nittany Lions back home with another loss. It’s a stretch that showcases the pros and cons of a larger Big Ten. No Michigan on the schedule? Well, here’s Ohio State and Oregon. How about a trip to Indiana, how about USC?

It’s hard to pencil in Penn State for any victories at this point, considering the team is 0-4 in the Big Ten. But if we assume that Matt Campbell and company get their feet underneath them for the sake of not being entirely doom-and-gloom, here’s a look at that road ahead.

Penn State’s top remaining 2026 test

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) looks to pass in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State at Washington. Sure, it’s hard to say Penn State is going to win any of its remaining games this season, with or without Koby Howard. But if we look at the rest of Penn State’s schedule with an eye for conventionally challenging games, a trip to Washington will be Campbell’s first foray into the cross-country travel that is Big Ten football. The Huskies have their own issues, so it’s not impossible, but the vibes aren’t high.

Penn State's 2027 road stretch

A general view of Autzen Stadium before the game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Oregon Ducks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State plays Michigan at home and visits Indiana, Oregon and Wisconsin. We don’t know the order of operations for this schedule but do know that it’s not short on big moments.

It stands to reason Michigan will improve from this season’s bumps in the road. However nationally relevant Indiana and Oregon end up being next year, the Hoosiers don’t appear to be losing a step.

And even if the Ducks are slipping a bit, they’re starting out next year on better footing than Penn State. A trip to Madison isn’t quite as daunting as the rest, but Wisconsin has historically never been an easy place to play. If Luke Fickell can keep his job, that is.

Penn State's 2028 home gauntlet

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (11) makes a touchdown catch against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium in 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Penn State plays a powerhouse home schedule vs. Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon and UCLA. There are also road trips to Nebraska and USC, along with a non-conference road game at Syracuse. 

It’s more of the same in 2028. We don’t know the schedule order, but we know this list ain’t easy. The Hawkeyes are rarely an easy win, Ohio State is Ohio State and Oregon likely will be Oregon. Indiana, UCLA and USC are wildcards given how much can change in two years, but there’s reason to believe all three programs are going to be solid in the immediate future.

All told, there is a lot that can and will likely change for Penn State in the next few weeks, months and years. Whether or not this comes to fruition remains to be seen. But you could talk yourself into Penn State losing at least 11 key games over its next 29. 

Then again, the Nittany Lions went from the struggles of 2014 to a Big Ten Championship in 2016 in just about the same number of games, so drastic improvement isn’t out of the question.

Of course, from 2014-16, the Nittany Lions faced NCAA-implemented obstacles that eroded over the course of time. Right now the only thing getting in the way of Penn State is itself. Whether that’s a glass half full or half empty is up to you.

“We are not wavering,” Penn State coach Matt Campbell said. “We are going to build the right foundation, standards and expectations on how we do things.”

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