First Look at Penn State's 2026 Football Schedule

Campbell spent his first seven weeks on the job at Penn State racing to build a new roster. The Nittany Lions lost more than 70 players from their 2025 team, including 52 who entered the transfer portal.

In response, Campbell signed 40 players from the portal, 24 of whom played for him at Iowa State last year. Much of that talent arrives on offense. Campbell brought his three-year starting quarterback Rocco Becht, top receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, leading rusher Carson Hansen and all-Big 12 tight end Benjamin Brahmer.

Campbell signed a total of 28 players from the Big 12, including from Utah, Colorado and West Virginia. He completely remade the quarterbacks room, bringing in three from Iowa State (one a 2026 recruit) and a Division III All-American from Christopher Newport University in Virginia.

Campbell is tasked with quickly turning around a Penn State team that went 7-6 last season but lost six straight Big Ten games, firing James Franklin after the first three. The schedule could help, as Penn State's Big Ten opponents were a combined 33-48 in conference play last season. That includes Purdue (0-9), Maryland (1-8) and Rutgers and Wisconsin (both 2-7).

"I've always said this: Our scars are our superpower," Campbell said at his introductory press conference at Beaver Stadium in December. "If you're humble enough to grow through success and failure, then you continue to put yourself in position to be the best.

"It's when we stop growing that failure starts to seep in. So to me, we've had championship expectations every step of the way. You're talking to the guy that lost one game in four years of college and has won five national championships [at Mount Union as a player and coach]. I don't care what level it is, it's a fact.

"From my end of it is, your scars have built you for those moments if you use them wisely. We've had unbelievable moments during our tenure as a football coach, had some great learning lessons along the way, and it's always confidently prepared me to step into this role and to continue to build the greatest college football program in the country."