Penn State Nittany Lions: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Terry Smith’s Final Audition for Penn State as Search Nears End

Penn State’s season ends on Saturday at Rutgers, but ultimately, the most important outcome will not be written on a scoreboard. Instead, it will be written in Pat Kraft’s office, where Penn State’s athletic director is closing in on a hire that will define his tenure and potentially either stabilize or fracture the direction of the program.

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The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Penn State misses out on top head coach candidate

The Penn State Nittany Lions can cross one major coaching candidate off their list. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea agreed to a contract extension on Friday, the school announced.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / CFB-HQ on SI / November 28

$33.6 million coach emerges as candidate to replace James Franklin at Penn State

Penn State dismissed James Franklin after a 3-3 start and a string of damaging losses that included Oregon, UCLA, and an upset at Northwestern, producing

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Nittany Central / November 28

Pat Kraft’s Penn State Coaching Search Hits Another Snag as 2 More Candidates Sign Extensions

https://nittanycentral.com/feed/ Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft’s search for next head coach could be coming down to the final days. With the regular season ending for teams this weekend, coaches will now have the opportunity to announce their intentions to leave their current programs and coach elsewhere next season.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Nittany Central / November 28

New Faces, Same Machine: Penn State Wrestling Opens 2025-26 With Domination

https://nittanycentral.com/feed/ Penn State Wrestling has started the 2025-2026 season right where they left off following their fourth straight NCAA title last year.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / The Spun / November 28

Penn State Loses Out On Another Top Coaching Candidate

Another top head coaching candidate is off the board. Penn State won't be able to repeat the method that got them James Franklin to get their next head coach.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Penn State Nittany Lions on SI / November 28

The Case for and Against Hiring Terry Smith at Penn State

It is hard to ignore the moment as Terry Smith walks off the field, the crowd cheering his name as Penn State’s season begins to turn an emotional corner.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Penn State Nittany Lions on SI / November 27

Penn State Recruits Through Uncertainty as Early Signing Period Looms

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class largely has dispersed since James Franklin was fired, with more than half of the class' players having decommitted. With the early signing period approaching, interim head coach Terry Smith said the Nittany Lions continue to recruit through the uncertainty, which remains difficult.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Penn State Nittany Lions on SI / November 26

Nick Saban Endorses Candidate to Follow James Franklin at Penn State

As Penn State's coaching search nears its conclusion, there has been little news but plenty of endorsements regarding James Franklin's replacement. On Wednesday's edition of the Pat McAfee Show, Nick Saban added his.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / The Spun / November 26

Nick Saban Makes Case For Penn State's Next Head Coach

In his decades as a college football coach across the United States, Nick Saban has a pretty large contacts list of coaching candidates. For the vacant Penn State job, Saban believe that one of his former assistants might be the man for the job.

Kalen Deboer News / CFB-HQ on SI / November 26

$87 million college football coach climbs as a favorite to be named Penn State HC

As college football rumors swirl about Lane Kiffin's future, Penn State is quietly searching for the program's next coach to replace James Franklin. The Nittany Lions are still in search of a permanent head coach, while Franklin has already found a new home at Virginia Tech.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Nittany Central / November 26

3 Things for Penn State Football to be thankful for amid disappointing season

https://nittanycentral.com/feed/ Throughout this tumultuous fall season, Penn State Football has found little success. The season that began with monster National Championship aspirations now finds itself six weeks into a coaching search.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Nittany Central / November 26

Penn State’s 6-Game Skid Is a Distant Memory — Terry Smith Talks Bowls, Opt-Outs, and the “Extra Game” Goal

https://nittanycentral.com/feed/ Two weeks ago, Penn State Football fans were not even thinking about the possibility of a bowl game as Penn State was riding a six game losing streak and had yet to win a conference game.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Nittany Central / November 26

What History Says About Penn State Hiring Terry Smith … And Why the Risk Is Real

https://nittanycentral.com/feed/ James Franklin is gone, and Terry Smith is temporarily in. But after Penn State demolished Nebraska, many are calling for Smith to be the future of this program.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / CFB-HQ on SI / November 26

Rising college football coach emerges as ‘name to watch’ to replace James Franklin at Penn State

Penn State fired long-time coach James Franklin on October 12 after a string of damaging losses (three straight to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern) and a 3-3 start that left the program off its championship path.

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Penn State Nittany Lions on SI / November 25

He Made the 'Hire Terry Smith' Signs at Penn State and Is Bringing More to Rutgers

STATE COLLEGE | When the clock reached zero on Penn State’s first home win under interim head coach Terry Smith, the Nittany Lions didn’t celebrate empty-handed.

College Football News / Yardbarker / November 25

Why Matt Rhule rejected the Penn State job to stay at Nebraska

Rhule "turned down" Penn State, where he played linebacker, to stay with Nebraska for 2026.

Kirby Smart and Georgia add to elite class with flip from Penn State

NFL Draft intel: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, San Diego State CB Chris Johnson among buzzworthy prospects

College players whose NFL draft stock has risen the most this season

The 'Orange Bowl MVPs' quiz

Penn State Nittany Lions News / Penn State Nittany Lions on SI / November 25

High-Profile Coach Surges in Penn State's Coaching Search

A new name is tracking in Penn State's coaching search, which has entered its seventh week. And it's one of the most intriguing of the process so far. Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman has surged among the top-3 candidates to become Penn State's next head coach, according to the Kalshi futures market.