David Pollack Sounds Alarm on College Football Powerhouse Ahead of 2026 Season

David Pollack is pumping the breaks on the preseason hype around this college football program in 2026.

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; ESPN broadcaster David Pollack at the 109th Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roughly four months lie between the end of April and the opening weekend of the 2026 college football season.

Each new college football season presents an opportunity for programs to take a step forward from where they finished the prior season. In the Power Four ranks, nearly 20 programs are hoping to make that jump under the leadership of new head coaches.

One of these programs springing into the 2026 college football season with new life is Penn State. The Nittany Lions are entering the first season of the Matt Campbell era, and there is much buzz around them as College Football Playoff contenders, given what Campbell brought from Iowa State and their rather friendly schedule.

Former Georgia linebacker and college football media personality David Pollack is not singing the same tune about Penn State as some in the media landscape. Pollack called the Nittany Lions pretenders for College Football Playoff contention on a recent edition of On3's "Crain & Cone."

"I'll go pretender, I don't think they're a contender. I'm glad that Matt Campbell could bring over so many Iowa State guys, but you're also going to have to learn a whole new league. A lot of people just have to learn you, you've got to learn the whole league and everybody you're playing," Pollack said.

"I think it's a difficult ask for them. I think the roster is good, I think Matt Campbell did the best job he could, late to the party, late to the game, but I don't put them on the contender list to make the College Football Playoff."

Potential stumbling points for Penn State in 2026

Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone (8) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The month of September should not come as a challenge for Penn State. The Nittany Lions' lack of a non-conference Power Four opponent, coupled with a home bout with a Wisconsin team losing enthusiasm with its head coach, should give way to a good first month.

The challenges will present themselves in October, starting with a Friday night trip to Northwestern on Oct. 2. The Wildcats were the final straw of the James Franklin era at Penn State, and the trip to Evanston will be Matt Campbell's first Big Ten road game.

USC comes to Beaver Stadium the following weekend. The Trojans are returning the vast majority of their starters from their nine-win team in 2025, most notably quarterback Jayden Maiava. USC feels it finally has what it takes to become a College Football Playoff contender under Lincoln Riley.

The Nittany Lions' third game of the month is at Michigan on Oct. 17. The hiring of former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham should upgrade the Wolverines in the coaching department, and five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood is poised for a significant improvement now that he receives constant attention from a quarterbacks coach.

Penn State takes a cross-country trip to Washington on Nov. 7. The Huskies won nine games in 2025 and will return quarterback Demond Williams Jr. despite the meddlesome activities from other teams attempting to lure him into the transfer portal.

The Nittany Lions are 1-1 in trips to the West Coast since the Big Ten expanded, most recently losing to what devolved into a 3-9 UCLA team last year.