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Thoughts on Penn State's Friendly 2026 Football Schedule

The Big Ten provided Matt Campbell with a favorable runway in his first season with the Nittany Lions.
Mark Wogenrich|
A general view of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions.
A general view of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Penn State Nittany Lions. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Penn State coach Matt Campbell could not have requested a much friendlier schedule for his first season at the helm with the Nittany Lions. He doesn't face the Big Ten's three returning playoff teams, won't have to make consecutive road trips and gets five games to prepare for the schedule's toughest stretch.

The Big Ten announced its 2026 composite football schedule Tuesday, which included the Nittany Lions' first slate under Campbell. After 10 years at Iowa State, the new Penn State coach will get fresh looks at Michigan Stadium and Ryan Field (potentially) along with a road trip to Seattle.

Overall, Penn State should be pretty happy with its schedule, which begins Sept. 5 against Marshall at Beaver Stadium. In fact, it's one reason Penn State is getting attention in the way-too-early 2026 college football rankings.

Some initial thoughts about Penn State's 2026 football schedule and the potential it offers the Nittany Lions.

Penn State avoids the heavyweights

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks off the field following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks off the field following the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State faced all three Big Ten playoff teams last season; none is on the schedule this year. The Nittany Lions don't have to worry about defending champ Indiana, playoff semifinalist Oregon and Big Ten finalist Ohio State during the regular season.

Further, Penn State doesn't face nine-win bowl teams Illinois or Iowa. Of the Big Ten's top eight teams from 2025, only three (Michigan, USC and Washington) are on Penn State's schedule.

The returning strength-of-schedule is favorable

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Andrew Rappleyea reacts after running the ball vs. the Indiana Hoosiers.
Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Andrew Rappleyea (87) reacts after running the ball during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Like Penn State itself, much of its schedule is looking for a bounceback in 2026. The Nittany Lions' nine Big Ten opponents went a combined 33-38 in conference play last season. Beyond Michigan and USC, which went 7-2 each, Penn State's Big Ten opponents won just 19 conference games combined.

Of the six Big Ten teams that did not play in bowl games, four are on Penn State's schedule. Purdue, which visits Beaver Stadium on Halloween, is coming off a winless Big Ten season. Maryland went 1-8, and Rutgers and Wisconsin went 2-7 each. Campbell is facing a group of teams rebuilding just as he is.

The schedule builds to its toughest two-week stretch

The Michigan marching band takes the field before kickoff against Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
The Michigan marching band takes the field before kickoff against Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State plays an ascending schedule into October, when a two-week stretch will provide a real litmus test of Campbell's roster. The Nittany Lions host USC on Oct. 10 before visiting Michigan a week later. Penn State's lone bye week follows the game against the Wolverines.

USC and Michigan both won nine games last season yet are coming off differing challenges. The Penn State-Michigan game specifically will be unique, as two veteran Big 12 coaches will meet in their first Big Ten seasons. Campbell vs. former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham will be an intriguing matchup.

The White Out seems obvious

Fireworks are seen over an announced crowd of 111,015 during a White Out game between the Penn State and Oregon.
Fireworks are seen over an announced crowd of 111,015 during a White Out game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State should be lobbying the Big Ten and NBC now to schedule its Oct. 10 game against USC as the annual White Out. Penn State-USC is the best home game on the 2026 schedule, it's a traditional-brand matchup and is perfectly timed in October. Plus, Campbell stole USC's defensive coordinator, D'Anton Lynn.

USC is making its first trip to Beaver Stadium since 1994, which was Penn State's last undefeated season. There's also less pressure on this White Out than last year's double-overtime loss to Oregon that began the team's unraveling.

How will the 'Sailgating' be in November?

Washington Huskies fans sailgate on Lake Washington outside Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium.
Washington Huskies fans sailgate on Lake Washington outside Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium before a game against the Michigan State Spartans. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Penn State fans will get their first taste of "Sailgating," the enticing version of tailgating that Washington hosts outside Husky Stadium. The Nov. 7 date might play with the weather, but the experience should be memorable nonetheless.

Penn State is visiting Washington for the first time since 1921, when it took a train from Pittsburgh to play the Huskies. According to Lou Prato's Penn State Football Encyclopedia, the Nittany Lions left Pittsburgh in late November right after playing the Panthers to a 0-0 tie.

Penn State arrived Monday — practiced "in secret for most of the week," as Prato wrote — and beat Wasington 21-7. The Nittany Lions are 4-0 against Washington, including their 35-6 win at Beaver Stadium in 2024.

Will Penn State play at the new Ryan Field?

Northwestern is scheduled to introduce its new Ryan Field this fall after an $850 million construction project. However, there's no official reopening date set, which puts Penn State's Oct. 3 visit to Evanston in limbo for about a week.

Northwestern is scheduled to announce the Ryan Field plan Feb. 3. Hopefully, the gorgeous new venue, which Northwestern calls the only privately funded Power 4 stadium built this century, will be ready for its closeup when the Nittany Lions visit.

Beware the return to Philadelphia

Before getting into the Big Ten schedule, Penn State opens with a non-conference slate of Marshall, Temple and Buffalo. Marshall could be a testy opener, having gone 10-3 under former Penn State assistant Charles Huff in 2024. The Thundering Herd went 5-7 last year.

However, the unique noncon game arrives at Lincoln Financial Field on Sept. 12, when the Nittany Lions visit Temple. The Owls went 5-7 last sesaon under first-year coach K.C. Keeler, who won FCS championships at Delaware and Sam Houston State.

And Penn State fans will remember their last visit to Lincoln Financial Field in 2015, when the Owls (led by Matt Rhule) sacked quarterback Christian Hackenberg 10 times in a 27-10 win.

Check out Penn State's schedule-release video

Penn State's video team produced a schedule-release video that pays homage to the Tennessee Titans' quirky on-the-street interview style.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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