The Penn State Nittany Lions entered the 2025 season as National Championship hopefuls, but couldn't have ended up any further from the goal. James Franklin was fired just 6 games into the season, and in the offseason the Nittany Lions began a new era, hiring Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell.
Matt Campbell's first season in Happy Valley will be heavily judged, especially with James Franklin starting fresh at Virginia Tech. If Matt Campbell is going to prove he was the right man for the job, winning 3 of his biggest games of the season would go a long way.
Matt Campbell could bolster his stock with 3 pivotal games
Washington Huskies
If Penn State's going to be viewed as a College Football Playoff dark horse, then the Nittany Lions are competing with Washington for that role in the Big Ten. The Huskies return a talented team headlined by quarterback Demond Williams Jr. The game will serve as Campbell's first trip to the West Coast with the Nittany Lions and returning with a win would send a statement to the rest of the Big Ten.
USC Trojans
During his time at Penn State, Matt Campbell will likely find himself in the same tier as Lincoln Riley as both will have great teams, but they'll also never be seen as the best programs in the conference. USC enters the season with College Football Playoff hopes, and the Nittany Lions may be vying for the same bid given the toughness of their schedule. Dealing a massive blow to Lincoln Riley while picking up a win would show that Campbell's in a better place long term.
Michigan Wolverines
One of the biggest reasons that James Franklin was fired by Penn State was the fact that he was never able to knock off the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. In his debut season, Matt Campbell won't face the Buckeyes, but he will face Michigan who's replacing a head coach this year as well. If the Nittany Lions can pick up a win over a Playoff hopeful to start Campbell's tenure, it would go a long way toward proving they made the right decision.