Penn State’s first season of the post-James Franklin era is already being questioned by many, and some of it is fair, while some of it isn’t.
CBS Sports’ Will Backus released his projected 2026 Big Ten standings this week and slotted Penn State seventh in the conference, a ranking that shows uncertainty and transition, but is still very disrespectful.
Backus’ projection centered on how Penn State got to this point, writing about a brutal season that ultimately ended with a big-time hire in Matt Campbell.
“Penn State fired James Franklin midseason, embarked on an apparently bumbling coaching search and still landed on one of the best options possible by poaching Iowa State's Matt Campbell. He's bringing a majority of his Cyclones with him.
“Twenty-three former Iowa State players followed Campbell to Happy Valley. Quarterback Rocco Becht gives the Nittany Lions a solid replacement in the wake of Drew Allar's departure. Other Cyclones transplants like tight end Benjamin Brahmer, defensive back Marcus Neal Jr., running back Carson Hansen and linebacker Caleb Bacon will have a major impact off the bat,” he wrote.
Franklin’s midseason firing sent questions through the program, and the early stages of the coaching search were criticized for not finding who Penn State wanted. But landing Campbell, one of the most respected figures in college football, quickly changed the conversation.
Offensively, the spotlight will be on Rocco Becht, who will be the guy following Drew Allar’s departure. While Becht may not carry the same hype, he brings experience and comfort in Campbell’s scheme.
Still, Backus’ seventh-place projection reflects the reality of the Big Ten Conference in 2026, and the lack of respect Penn State is getting. Penn State is viewed as a team capable of competing each week, but not trusted to contend for the conference, which I don’t agree with. This is still Penn State we’re talking about at the end of the day.
If Campbell’s Iowa State guys click quickly and Penn State avoids early struggles, the Nittany Lions should outperform expectations. If they come in and struggle, we could be in for another really bad season like we saw a year ago.