At Penn State, good isn’t good enough. Just ask James Franklin, he was fired just six games into the 2025 season after leading the Nittany Lions to their first-ever College Football Playoff in 2024 and falling just one win short of the national championship game. That type of move doesn’t only send a message to the former regime, it sets lofty expectations for the new one.
New Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, who followed Matt Campbell from Iowa State, has spent enough time in college football to understand what he’s getting into in Happy Valley. Just because 2026, Becht’s final season of eligibility, is a transition year, doesn’t mean good will suddenly be good enough
"There are always going to be fans who expect more from you,” Becht told On3’s Pete Nakos just days after returning to the field for non-contact work following offseason shoulder surgery. “And honestly, when you’re at a historic program like this, you should want to play at the highest level and compete in those big games. I don’t feel bad for anyone. It’s expected of us, and that’s why you come to Penn State, because you’re expected to win."
NEW: Iowa State transfer QB Rocco Becht tells @PeteNakos he's prepared for Penn State's championship expectations:
— On3 (@On3) April 16, 2026
"There are always going to be fans who expect more from you. And honestly, when you’re at a historic program like this, you should want to play at the highest level… pic.twitter.com/LMf8emRYze
Rocco Becht isn’t backing down from championship expectations
Penn State was done hitting its head on the ceiling under Franklin, and the Oregon loss in Week 5 last fall felt like the final straw. However, that’s not the only reason athletic director Pat Kraft was so quick to pull the trigger on a head coaching move. The loaded in-state 2027 recruiting class, which was souring on Franklin, was another, but undoubtedly, the 2026 schedule may have played a role.
In recent years, Penn State has built a non-conference schedule to help rack up wins and allow its conference play to do the talking to the CFP committee. In 2026, that means non-conference showdowns with Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo. That’s as soft as it comes, but the Nittany Lions caught some major breaks in the Big Ten slate that have the program positioned to get back into conference title contention.
Penn State has an away game at the Big House on October 17, and hosts USC the week prior. That is, almost assuredly, the toughest stretch of the schedule. After playing all three last year, Penn State avoided Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon, the top three finishers in the conference last year, and its three CFP representatives.
In the Transfer Portal era, a rebuild doesn’t need to take long. So, Kraft bet that a coach, eventually Campbell, could import a roster and be ready to compete against a favorable schedule in 2026. So, right out of the gates, the championship, or at least CFP, expectations are on Becht and the Nittany Lions. It sounds like he’s going to handle them well.
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