Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell isn't just all-in with the Nittany Lions, but he's officially all-in with the Big Ten.
The Big Ten-SEC debate as to which is the better college football conference doesn't seem to have an end on the horizon. During SEC media days, coaches and Nick Saban made it clear that they still believe that the last three national champions don't determine the dominant conference.
During Big Ten Media Days, Campbell threw his opinion out there begging to differ. He said that in modern college football, the Big Ten is at the top. "Modern" is the key word here, and the new Penn State head coach isn't wrong in saying that either considering how the last three seasons have gone.
Regardless of the SEC refusing to let go of the past, the Big Ten knows its conference is the future.
Strength of schedule matters
The closer the 2026 season gets, the more exciting the possibility of Campbell securing a double-digit win season in year one is.
It's the same old story of the Nittany Lions avoiding the "big three" in the Big Ten (Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon), but it's an extremely valid point to continue bringing up when considering the foundation Campbell has the capability of building in his first season.
Cleveland.com's Big Ten Media poll only confirmed that huge advantage Campbell has this year. Penn State slotted in at No. 6 while the Buckeyes, Ducks, and Hoosiers all came in the top three spots, respectively.
Since the Nittany Lions avoid those three teams, though, it's important to remember that a double-digit win season doesn't mean they'll be an automatic College Football Playoff selection.
Going 10-2 is fantastic, and it's fantastic regardless of what the postseason looks like. It would be a great start for Campbell at Penn State. Fans just shouldn't get their hopes up about the Nittany Lions when they have an easy schedule and could potentially play all unranked teams in the regular season.
Hype amps up as Nittany Lions return from injury
A number of Penn Staters are ready to hit the field after an offseason riddled with injuries and recovery plans.
Veteran linebacker Tony Rojas, right tackle Anthony Donkoh, and quarterback Rocco Becht have all been cleared for fall camp coming up. All three dealt with injuries, and Nittany Lion fans know very well how missed Rojas was in 2025 especially.
In addition to those three, tight end Andrew Rappleyea is also ready to return. Safety Jeremiah Cooper, tight end Gabe Burkle, and quarterback Alex Tatsch are on track to get back in September.
Tatsch could also return to fall camp as he was cleared to play by July 1, according to Campbell, but slowly getting him back into the action makes sense for his recovery since he's playing behind Becht anyways. Still, Campbell called Tatsch's return a "monumental win," and he's right. Penn State doesn't have a starting quarterback on its roster after Becht graduates, but Tatsch is the closest shoo-in to step into that role. Having security at that position will be critical as Campbell transitions from year one to year two.
More: ESPN thinks Penn State's 2026 season is a toss-up
In the midst of the hype, excitement, and hope for what Campbell can do in 2026, there's always room for some doubt. Bill Connelly of ESPN sent a brutal reminder that in year one, regardless of factors that make it seems like Penn State could have a great season ahead of it, anything can happen.
"Penn State is seemingly impossible to project, especially since the Nittany Lions will be more Iowa State than PSU this season under new coach Matt Campbell. They could indeed be a borderline top-15 team or they could stumble out of the top 40 -- neither would surprise me much," Connelly wrote.
"Penn State's projection becomes even more interesting when you realize how much easier the Nittany Lions' schedule is than the other teams in their general light heavyweight class. The Big Ten has 10 projected top-40 teams, and PSU plays only three of them while Washington plays six and Michigan, USC and Iowa each play five. If we end up with a dark horse team threatening the top three, schedule strength might play a major role."
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