The 2026 Penn State Nittany Lions football team will represent Pennsylvania State University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Nittany Lions are led by new head coach Matt Campbell, who is in his 1st year with the team.[1][2] They will play their home games at Beaver Stadium located in State College, Pennsylvania.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|
| September 5 | Marshall* | | |
| September 12 | at Temple* | | |
| September 19 | Buffalo* | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| |
| September 26 | Wisconsin | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| |
| at Northwestern | | |
| October 10 | USC | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| |
| October 17 | at Michigan | | |
| October 31 | Purdue | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| |
| November 7 | at Washington | | |
| November 14 | Minnesota | | |
| November 21 | Rutgers | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| |
| November 28 | at Maryland | | |
|
[3][4]
Rankings
Preseason
Game summaries
vs Marshall
Personnel
Roster
| 2026 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| WR
|
0
|
Chase Sowell
|
Sr
|
| WR
|
2
|
Zay Robinson
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
3
|
Rocco Becht
|
Sr
|
| WR
|
4
|
Brett Eskildsen
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
6
|
Koby Howard
|
So
|
| QB
|
7
|
Alex Manske
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
8
|
Karon Brookings
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
11
|
Lyrick Samuel
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
12
|
Kase Evans
|
Fr
|
| QB
|
14
|
Peyton Falzone
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
15
|
Keith Jones Jr.
|
So
|
| QB
|
17
|
Connor Barry
|
Sr
|
| TE
|
18
|
Benjamin Brahmer
|
Sr
|
| QB
|
19
|
Jack Lambert
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
19
|
Amarion Jackson
|
Fr
|
| RB
|
21
|
Carson Hansen
|
Sr
|
| RB
|
23
|
James Peoples
|
Jr
|
| RB
|
25
|
Quinton Martin Jr.
|
So
|
| RB
|
26
|
Cam Wallace
|
So
|
| RB
|
29
|
D'Antae Sheffey
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
31
|
Logan Cunningham
|
Sr
|
| OL
|
50
|
Cooper Cousins
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
51
|
Brock Riker
|
So
|
| OL
|
52
|
Dominic Rulli
|
Sr
|
| OL
|
54
|
Vaea Ikakoula
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
55
|
Chimdy Onoh
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
56
|
Mason Bandhauer
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
61
|
Liam Horan
|
So
|
| OL
|
65
|
Jim Fitzgerald
|
Sr
|
| OL
|
66
|
Will Tompkins
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
67
|
Henry Boehme
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
68
|
Anthony Donkoh
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
70
|
Trevor Buhr
|
Jr
|
| OL
|
71
|
Garrett Sexton
|
So
|
| OL
|
74
|
Kuol Kuol II
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
76
|
Hunter Albright
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
77
|
Owen Aliciene
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
78
|
Malachi Goodman
|
Fr
|
| OL
|
79
|
Donnie Harbour
|
So
|
| TE
|
80
|
Cooper Alexander
|
So
|
| WR
|
81
|
Ben Whitver
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
82
|
Ethan Black
|
Jr
|
| TE
|
83
|
Brian Kortovich
|
Fr
|
| WR
|
84
|
Peter Gonzalez
|
So
|
| TE
|
84
|
Gabe Burkle
|
Sr
|
| TE
|
87
|
Andrew Rappleyea
|
Jr
|
| TE
|
89
|
Finn Furmanek
|
Jr
|
|
Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| CB
|
2
|
Audavion Collins
|
Sr
|
| S
|
3
|
Jamison Patton
|
Sr
|
| S
|
4
|
Jeremiah Cooper
|
Sr
|
| CB
|
5
|
Daryus Dixon
|
So
|
| CB
|
7
|
Zion Tracy
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
8
|
Kooper Ebel
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
9
|
Cael Brezina
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
10
|
Caleb Bacon
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
11
|
LaVar Arrington II
|
So
|
| CB
|
12
|
Xxavier Thomas
|
Fr
|
| LB
|
13
|
Tony Rojas
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
15
|
Joshua Johnson
|
Fr
|
| CB
|
16
|
Donte Nastasi
|
Jr
|
| CB
|
17
|
Josiah Zayas
|
Fr
|
| DE
|
18
|
Max Granville
|
So
|
| CB
|
20
|
Tyler Chatham
|
Fr
|
| S
|
21
|
Vaboue Toure
|
So
|
| CB
|
23
|
Jahmir Joseph
|
Fr
|
| S
|
24
|
Ibn McDaniels
|
So
|
| LB
|
25
|
Alex Tatsch
|
So
|
| LB
|
26
|
Cam Smith
|
Fr
|
| S
|
27
|
Omarion Davis
|
So
|
| S
|
28
|
Bryson Williams
|
Fr
|
| CB
|
29
|
Hunter Sowell
|
Fr
|
| S
|
30
|
Christian Askew
|
Fr
|
| S
|
31
|
Marcus Neal Jr.
|
Jr
|
| LB
|
32
|
John Closterman
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
33
|
Alexander McPherson
|
So
|
| LB
|
34
|
Chris Fileppo
|
So
|
| CB
|
35
|
Tyler Armstead
|
So
|
| CB
|
37
|
Max Heffner
|
Fr
|
| DT
|
39
|
Ty Blanding
|
Jr
|
| S
|
39
|
Jashaun Green
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
42
|
Mason Robinson
|
Jr
|
| LS
|
43
|
Dayshaun Burnett
|
Fr
|
| DE
|
47
|
Aidan Probst
|
So
|
| DT
|
56
|
Alijah Carnell
|
So
|
| DT
|
73
|
Caleb Brewer
|
So
|
| DE
|
88
|
Ikenna Ezeogu
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
89
|
Jackson Ford
|
Fr
|
| DE
|
90
|
Liam Andrews
|
So
|
| DT
|
91
|
Armstrong Nnodim
|
So
|
| DT
|
92
|
Siale Taupaki
|
Sr
|
| DE
|
93
|
Bobby Mears
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
94
|
De'Andre Cook
|
So
|
| DT
|
95
|
Jordan Mayer
|
Jr
|
| DT
|
97
|
Keanu Williams
|
Sr
|
| DT
|
98
|
Dallas Vakalahi
|
Jr
|
| DE
|
99
|
Yvan Kemajou
|
So
|
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| LS
|
35
|
Blaise Sokach-Minnick
|
Sr
|
| P
|
38
|
Nathan Tiyce
|
So
|
| LS
|
92
|
Andrew Dufault
|
So
|
| K
|
94
|
Ryan Barker
|
Jr
|
| K
|
95
|
Cristiano Rosa
|
Sr
|
| K
|
98
|
Matthew Parker
|
Fr
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Terry Smith – Associate head coach/defensive recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks
- Taylor Mouser – Offensive coordinator
- D'Anton Lynn – Defensive coordinator
- Justin Lustig – Special teams coordinator/outside linebackers/nickels
- Ikaika Malloe – Defensive line/Run game coordinator
- Tyson Veidt – Co-linebackers coach
- Dan Connor – Co-linebackers coach
- Savon Huggins – Running backs
- Kashif Moore – Wide receivers
- Jake Waters – Quarterbacks
- Deon Broomfield – Safeties/pass game coordinator
- Christian Smith – Edge rushers
- Ryan Clanton – Offensive line
- Amber Giese – Assistant AD/performance enhancement
- Jordan Lucas – Assistant cornerbacks coach
- Derek Hoodjer – General manager
- Skip Brebenec – Football Chief of Staff
- Matt Colangelo – Assistant special teams coach
- DeOn'tae Pannell – Assistant defensive line coach
- Jake Landry – Senior offensive analyst
- Shawn Collins – Defensive analyst
- Sheldon Croney – Assistant running backs coach
- Jackson Scott-Brown – Assistant offensive line coach
- Sean Seonbuchner – Assistant tight ends coach
- Trent Slattenow – Director of Player Personnel
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster Last update: February 8, 2026
|
Transfers
Outgoing
| Player
|
Position
|
Destination
|
| Bekkem Kritza
|
QB
|
Alabama A&M
|
| Antoine Belgrave-Shorter
|
S
|
Arizona State
|
| J'ven Williams
|
OT
|
Charlotte
|
| Elliot Washington II
|
CB
|
Clemson
|
| Sam Siafa
|
DL
|
Delaware
|
| Owen Wafle
|
DL
|
Duke
|
| Eagan Boyer
|
OT
|
Florida
|
| TJ Shanahan Jr.
|
IOL
|
Florida
|
| A. J. Harris
|
CB
|
Indiana
|
| Alex Birchmeier
|
IOL
|
Liberty
|
| Josiah Brown
|
WR
|
LIU
|
| Brady O'Hara
|
IOL
|
Monmouth
|
| King Mack
|
S
|
NC State
|
| DaKaari Nelson
|
LB
|
NC State
|
| Jaylen Harvey
|
EDGE
|
North Carolina
|
| Enai White
|
DL
|
Oklahoma State
|
| Andrew Olesh
|
TE
|
Oregon
|
| Anthony Speca
|
LB
|
Purdue
|
| Anthony Ivey
|
WR
|
San Jose State
|
| Jabree Coleman
|
RB
|
South Carolina
|
| Kaden Saunders
|
WR
|
Southern Miss
|
| Matt Outten
|
WR
|
Syracuse
|
| Kaleb Artis
|
DL
|
Temple
|
| Kolin Dinkins
|
S
|
Temple
|
| Joey Schlaffer
|
TE
|
Temple
|
| Jaxon Smolik
|
QB
|
Temple
|
| Amare Campbell
|
LB
|
Tennessee
|
| Chaz Coleman
|
DE
|
Tennessee
|
| Xavier Gilliam
|
DL
|
Tennessee
|
| Dejuan Lane
|
S
|
Tennessee
|
| Kari Jackson
|
LB
|
Toledo
|
| Corey Smith
|
RB
|
Toledo
|
| Zuriah Fisher
|
DE
|
USC
|
| Randy Adirika
|
DL
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Tyseer Denmark
|
WR
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Jeff Exinor Jr.
|
WR
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Ethan Grunkemeyer
|
QB
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Cortez Harris
|
EDGE
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Matt Henderson
|
TE
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Daniel Jennings
|
EDGE
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Luke Reynolds
|
TE
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Michael Troutman III
|
IOL
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Mylachi Williams
|
EDGE
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Kenny Woseley Jr.
|
CB
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Keon Wylie
|
LB
|
Virginia Tech
|
| Tikey Hayes
|
RB
|
Unknown
|
| Lamont Payne Jr.
|
S
|
Unknown
|
Incoming
[5][6]
References
|
|---|
| Venues | |
|---|
| Bowls & rivalries | |
|---|
| Culture & lore | |
|---|
| People | |
|---|
| Seasons | |
|---|
National championship seasons in bold |