Penn State should make their Generations of Greatness jerseys permanent for White Out games. (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)
For the first time in 12 seasons, Penn State Football will have a new head coach leading the Nittany Lions out of the tunnel at Beaver Stadium when Matt Campbell leads his squad onto the field against Marshall on September 5.
While Penn State’s opponents for the upcoming 2026 season have been known for a while, on Tuesday, the Big Ten officially revealed Penn State’s 2026 schedule and the order of the Nittany Lions’ games.
Penn State Football 2026 Schedule:
Week 1 – vs. Marshall
Week 2 – at Temple
Week 3 – vs. Buffalo
Week 4 – vs. Wisconsin (B1G)
Week 5 – at Northwestern (B1G)
Week 6 – vs. USC (B1G)
Week 7 – at Michigan (B1G)
Week 8 – BYE
Week 9 – vs. Purdue (B1G)
Week 10 – at Washington (B1G)
Week 11 – vs. Minnesota (B1G)
Week 12 – vs. Rutgers (B1G)
Week 13 – at Maryland (B1G)
Here are 3 key takeaways from Penn State’s 2026 schedule reveal.
The “Schedule Luck” Factor: Avoiding the Big Ten Titans
Penn State lucked out for lack of better words in the Nittany Lions’ 2026 schedule.
While it has been known for a while, Penn State avoided Big Ten powerhouses Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana (if they can be called that now as reigning national champions) in 2026.
Penn State’s two toughest games on paper in 2026 come with a trip to Ann Arbor (in Kyle Whittingham’s first season at Michigan) and against USC at home in October.
Unfortunately for Penn State, these two games will come back-to-back on October 10 and 17.
Otherwise, year one should be very manageable for Campbell and the Nittany Lions. Penn State has one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country with Marshall, at Temple, and Buffalo, along with a relatively weak conference schedule.
The Whiteout Watch: Trojans vs. The Networks
Penn State has exactly one high-caliber opponent at home in 2026, the USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley coming to town on October 10.
With the rest of Penn State’s home conference schedule including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, and Rutgers, Penn State fans should be praying that Fox does not claim the USC game so that Penn State can use its iconic Whiteout against the Trojans next fall.
Unless Fox claims the USC game, you can lock in the October 10 date for the Whiteout.
If Fox does claim the USC tilt, I’d guess Minnesota or Wisconsin would get the Whiteout honors.
Matt Campbell’s Playoff Path
It’s hard to set expectations too high in year one for Matt Campbell and Penn State’s new staff.
However, with the relatively manageable schedule mentioned above, and the amount of upperclassmen talent that Campbell brought over with him from Iowa State, Penn State should have expectations to at least earn a conversation for a playoff spot as the 2026 season plays out.
The two-game stretch of Michigan and USC in October should play a large role in whether Penn State will continue to make noise for a playoff spot for 2026 or whether Campbell will need a larger retool to get the Nittany Lions competitive on the national stage once again.
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- Penn State Football 2026 Schedule Revealed: Thoughts, Takeaways, Analysis - January 28, 2026
- Penn State Football 2026 Defensive Depth Chart: Way-Too-Early Projected Starters - January 22, 2026
- ‘The Most Monumental Leap’: Two Former Penn State Football Stars Headline the NFL’s 2025 All-Breakout Team - January 17, 2026
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