Penn State football's spring season is almost wrapped up. Players have stood out to head coach Matt Campbell, some are recovering from injury, and all are embracing the new culture in Happy Valley.
College football analyst tabs 2 former Penn Staters as 2026 NFL Draft sleepers
With the 2026 college football season months away, it's never too early to look at the top teams in the country, especially considering their spring season progress. Mark Schlabach of ESPN ranked his "Way-Too-Early Top 25," and the Nittany Lions made his list.
ESPN ranks Penn State No. 15 in "Way-Too-Early Top 25" and says Nittany Lions are "poised for a huge turnaround"
Schlabach had two major points for why 15 was the right spot for the blue and white: Campbell's success in the portal and the 2026 schedule that lies ahead.
"Campbell seemed to do more with less at Iowa State. He'll have a full war chest available at Penn State, which finally lured him away from Ames. The Nittany Lions might be poised for a huge turnaround after signing 39 transfers, including 24 who played for Campbell at Iowa State," Schlabach wrote.
"Becht is experienced and has already won 26 games as a starter. Hansen ran for nearly 1,000 yards last season, and Eskildsen, Sowell and Brahmer were Becht's top targets. Four starting offensive linemen have to be replaced, and Buhr and former Texas State center Brock Riker are proven players. Penn State doesn't play Indiana, Ohio State or Oregon during the regular season in 2026."
Losing seniors, like running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, quarterback Drew Allar, and guard Olaivavega Ioane among others is definitely a blow. However, the Nittany Lions brought in talent from Iowa State, such as Becht, Sowell, and Brahmer, who Schlabach mentioned.
The transfer additions are already helping Penn State's case to have a "huge turnaround," and looking even beyond the 2026 season, Campbell's recruitment has success day-by-day, one spring practice visit at a time.
Specifically looking at the 2026 season, though, Campbell was gifted an easier schedule in comparison to what it could've been in the Big Ten. Avoiding Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon is huge, especially for his first season leading the Nittany Lions.
He has an opportunity to gauge his team's success, improvement, and development throughout the season going up against competitors like Michigan and USC without feeling the pressure going up against Top 10 teams in the country. It's a good balance between getting his players up to speed in the Big Ten and still facing hungry teams in the conference.
Other Big Ten schools that appeared in Schlabach's ranking were Ohio State (No. 1), Oregon (No. 2), Indiana (No. 6), Michigan (No. 14), Washington (No. 17), Iowa (No. 19), and USC (No. 20).
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