Joel Klatt sets high bar for Matt Campbell's first year, and Penn State fans will love it

The Penn State Nittany Lions hired Matt Campbell away from Iowa State for a reason. Yes, they want to go from good to great, but it became abundantly clear that Penn State wanted someone who could make the most out of their resources. For years, Campbell made chicken salad out of chicken mess at Iowa State. Now he gets to replace James Franklin at the helm of one of the sport's best programs.

How high has the bar been set for Campbell this fall? Look at what Joel Klatt had to say about him...

"There's a few rosters behind this group that I like better, but if you look at the schedule, this is certainly going to be a top-15 team next year, and that's Penn State. Penn State, now with Matt Campbell as their head coach, and basically, it's just like, East Iowa State. He brought literally the entire roster."

After talking about how Franklin came up short in big games, Klatt touched on Campbell's schedule.

"The big game failures prompted this move, and now Matt Campbell is going to be charged with trying to win those big games. But here's the thing... They don't have a ton of big games this year because the schedule falls in their favor. They're going to have the most experienced quarterback in the country taking snaps for them in Rocco Becht."

Even more so, Klatt is thoroughly impressed with Penn State's roster and quarterback Rocco Becht.

"Now I know it's not at Penn State, but that doesn't really matter, right? Will Howard won the national championship. Fernando Mendoza won a national championship. And Becht, is going to be playing for his head coach and his former offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser from Iowa State. D'Anton Lynn comes in as the defensive coordinator. He goes from USC to his alma mater at Penn State."

In a way, it feels like a perfect storm is about to be brewing in State College for the Nittany Lions.

"And the schedule, like I said, lines up really well. I think they can make a run at 10 wins. Home game against USC, and road trips to Michigan and Washington. Those are the toughest games on the schedule. So certainly lines up for a big year, for the first year, under Matt Campbell for the Nittany Lions."

Here is everything Klatt had to say about Penn State potentially making a run at 10 wins this season.

2026-27 Penn State may very well be Iowa State East, but those Cyclones could have won the Big 12.

Matt Campbell could have a first season for the ages leading Penn State

No doubt about it. Campbell has absolutely crushed it this offseason. We no longer talk about Iowa State in the national conversation because all that made Iowa State so special in the revamped Big 12 is now in Happy Valley. While the Big Ten is going to get somewhere between three and five teams into the playoff, could the Nittany Lions rise to the occasion to join the ranks of this league's elite?

Well, they were one of four Big Ten teams to make the first 12-team College Football Playoff a year ago. Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon all made it back, while Penn State had its season from hell. The infrastructure should work in their favor, but a greater crashing sense of urgency should be what gets them over the top. Many Iowa State players would never get the time of day from Penn State before.

So with a proven head coach, quarterback, coordinator, and a boatload of other key contributors coming over from Ames, this thing might already be a well-oiled machine before we even get to fall camp. Given that Penn State does not face the most daunting of schedules, it would not be shocking to see them challenge Michigan, USC, or Washington as the fourth Big Ten team to make the playoff.

At this time, Penn State does feel like one of the few schools led by a new head coach that could conceivably go on a run. How far that run will be remains to be seen. Regardless, Penn State feels totally reinvigorated. Everyone in this fan base can feel it. The rest of the college football world is starting to pick up on the vibes Penn Staters know to be true. Last year is not going to be repeated.

If Campbell is as good as everyone says he is, he could be leading this team into the quarterfinals.

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