Penn State football's 2026 schedule is anything but a tough pill to swallow as it faces the least threatening Big Ten slate possible in head coach Matt Campbell's first season leading the Nittany Lions. With a few softball opponents, though, comes their desire — and, in this case, need — to win.
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CBS Sports' Brad Crawford listed 10 college football coaches in 2026 who face the most pressure to win and could potentially have a spot on the hot seat very quick. Of the group of 10, two Big Ten programs' head coaches made the list: Wisconsin's Luke Fickell and Maryland's Mike Locksley.
Coincidentally, Penn State opens and closes its Big Ten schedule facing these two teams, respectively. The Nittany Lions did not have either on their schedule in 2025.
Matt Campbell faces two Big Ten head coaches in year one who might be hanging on by a thread
Game: Penn State vs. Wisconsin
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26 (Week 4)
Fickell was No. 2 on Crawford's list, opening his discussion with, "Is it too little, too late for Fickell?"
The Badgers' head coach is entering year four, coming off a 4-8 finish to the 2025 season (2-7 Big Ten). The season featured a trio of lopsided losses for Fickell, being shutout by Iowa and Ohio State then losing 31-7 to Indiana. Wisconsin's only two conference victories came against Washington and Illinois.
Week 4 will be a test for both Campbell and Fickell. It's the Nittany Lions' opportunity to prove Campbell is the right guy while the Badgers fight for Fickell's job security. It's a game featuring two different ends of the coaching spectrum: one on his way in and one that could be on his way out.
Game: Penn State at Maryland
Date: Saturday, Nov. 28 (Week 13)
Coming in at No. 5 on Crawford's list was Locksley, who enters year eight with the Terrapins in a tenure Crawford described as "stagnant."
Maryland had a hot start to the 2025 season, winning four straight, including a 27-10 victory over Wisconsin. After that, it was loss after loss after loss and the Terrapins fell to a 4-8 overall record. They managed just that single Big Ten victory in Week 4.
Week 13 of the 2026 season is the regular season finale for both programs with the teams scheduled as each others' rivalry weekend opponent. It's almost poetic how Campbell's first season as Penn State's head coach starts and ends Big Ten play in what will be statement wins or losses for either program. A win for Locksley can be his saving grace while a loss for Campbell can have fans thinking back to 2025. On the flipside, a win for Campbell can be another game checked off on the road to a potential College Football Playoff appearance in year one while a loss for Locksley can have him packing his bags.