After firing James Franklin and hiring Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, Penn State has hopes of building itself right back into a College Football Playoff contender. In this expanded 12 team College Football Playoff format, Penn State is the level of program that should be in yearly contention for the Playoff, and if Matt Campbell can succeed with more resources, that should become the reality.
Franklin's departure led to a ton of turnover with key veterans off to the NFL, and talented pieces entering the Transfer Portal. Matt Campbell poached his Iowa State roster to give the Nittany Lions a roster capable of making the Playoff, but the team will need to gel.
Penn State drew an unexpected trap game against Northwestern
When you look at Penn State's 2026 schedule, the Nittany Lions got a favorable draw which should set them up to push for a Playoff bid. The Nittany Lions avoid Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana, but games against USC and Michigan could end up determining their fate in the Playoff race. The game that deserves far more attention comes against Northwestern.
On paper, you look at Northwestern and despite the fact that they ended the James Franklin era, they shouldn't be able to beat Penn State. The Nittany Lions will be far more talented, but an unexpected factor is now in play.
On Tuesday, Northwestern announced that it will open its new stadium, Ryan Field, against the Nittany Lions on October 2nd.
The first matchup at Northwestern’s new Ryan Field has been set‼️@NUFBFamily will host Penn State on Friday, Oct. 2 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/dwJJJjgaJe
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) February 3, 2026
While Penn State should have the talent advantage, this has all the signs of being a trap game for the Nittany Lions. There won't be a bigger crowd for Northwestern than the first game in the new stadium which makes it a much tougher game than anyone expected coming into the season.
In addition to Penn State facing Northwestern in the first game in a new stadium, the game will be played on a Friday Night. We've constantly seen teams get stunned when the schedule gets wacky adding another factor to overcome.
Matt Campbell will need to ensure that his team is ready to go for this game, as it could end up being the shocking loss that keeps the Nittany Lions out of the Playoff. Campbell can use this as motivation, but at the end of the day, it'll be a much tougher crowd than if the stadium opened when Northwestern opened the season.