Cyclone warning in State College: No. 18 Penn State ready for fresh start under Matt Campbell

No. 18 Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — 2025 record: 7-6

Expectations

Penn State is starting fresh with new coach Matt Campbell who’s spent the last few months reassembling a program that crumbled last season.

After entering 2025 as College Football Playoff hopefuls, the Nittany Lions went flat to start Big Ten play. Longtime coach James Franklin was fired following losses to UCLA and Northwestern in October and a staff and player exodus followed before Campbell was hired in December.

The former Iowa State coach retained beloved interim coach and longtime assistant Terry Smith, hired defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn from USC and relied on the transfer portal to find proven players, many of them coming with him from Ames. Fifty players also opted to stay, among them star linebacker Tony Rojas, eager to prove last year was an aberration.

The Nittany Lions have enough talent to compete against anyone on what initially appears to be a light schedule lacking Big Ten heavyweights No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon and No. 6 Indiana. There are road trips to No. 16 Michigan and No. 17 Washington.

Strengths include chemistry on offense

Former Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht brings veteran experience and will be supported by familiar faces on what should be a steady offense with plenty of options. Coordinator Taylor Mauser and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters are both Iowa State vets as are receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen. Tight ends Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle also played with Becht last year. Andrew Rappleyea returns to round out a reliable tight end group that should allow the offense to establish a physical identity.

Hard-charging running back Carson Hansen transferred from Iowa State and will likely share the backfield with former Ohio State back James Peoples who’s been a standout in training camp.

Weaknesses lurk up front where potential starters are unproven

The Nittany Lions are thin on proven players along the defensive line. A combined 14 tackles and ends either saw their eligibility expire or transferred. Campbell used the portal to add bodies, including five players who combined to play 55 games last season. Among them is eighth-year journeyman Siale Taupaki from UCLA. Campbell and Lynn are banking on the potential of players like returning sophomore Yvan Kemajou, who notched 12 tackles, five for loss and 1 1/2 sacks in 10 games as a true freshman last year, and Max Granville, who was out last season with an injury, to solidify the front.

On the offensive side, Anthony Donkoh returns up front to propel the running game and protect Penn State’s quarterbacks. Guard Cooper Cousins started alongside Donkoh twice last year, but the Nittany Lions will likely rely on three new faces at the other spots with Texas State transfer Brock Riker emerging as the group’s center.

New faces

Becht (transfer from Iowa State), RB Hansen (transfer from Iowa State), RB Peoples (transfer from Ohio State), WR Sowell (transfer from Iowa State), DT Taupaki (transfer from UCLA).

Key losses

RB Kaytron Allen (NFL), RB Nicholas Singleton (NFL), DT Zane Durant (NFL), LB Amare Campbell (transferred to Tennessee), S Zakee Wheatley (NFL).

Biggest games for the Nittany Lions

Vs. No. 14 USC (Oct. 10), at No. 16 Michigan (Oct. 17), at No. 17 Washington (Nov. 7).

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here.