​There may be no tougher team to gauge as the 2026 season approaches than Penn State. The program made a bold move by hiring Matt Campbell after last year’s rollercoaster of a season, seemingly entrusting him with the challenge of stabilizing the ship. Now, with a favorable schedule and a roster loaded with familiar faces—more than 20 transfers from Iowa State—the expectations for the Nittany Lions are rising again. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), released each offseason to forecast where teams might start the year, projects Penn State to begin at No. 17. If you could ask anyone on the roster or within the organization whether they’d take a top-20 national ranking to open the 2026 season, the answer would likely be an enthusiastic yes. There might be a few teams some would argue deserve a spot above Penn State, but simply appearing on the preseason list is a positive signal and a marker of belief in what this team can achieve.
Only five Big Ten teams are ranked higher than Penn State in the FPI—Oregon, USC, Ohio State, and Michigan—representing a notable leap from last season, when Penn State finished outside the conference’s top ten. Even so, No. 17 is unlikely to be enough to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, which should be the long-term objective given the schedule that lies ahead. Whether Penn State earns a place on the official top-25 list when it is released remains to be seen, but the presence on the preseason projection underscores that there are credible voices inside football analytics who believe in this team’s potential.
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