There are 171 days remaining until Penn State football’s 2026 opening game against Marshall.

After the brutal 2025 season the program endured, it’s hard for coaches, players, and fans alike not to want to rid themselves of that awful taste of woeful underachievement, the starting quarterback suffering a season-ending injury, and the head coach being fired.

But the past is the past. Matt Campbell and his promising staff have arrived, so let’s look toward the future rather than dwell on the past. That starts with reviewing the Nittany Lions’ 2026 opponents and dates to predict potential kickoff times, so folks can start cementing gameday plans.

September 5 vs. Marshall: 3:30 p.m.

One of the first two home games of the season must fill the 3:30 p.m. slot, and an FCS team coming to town isn’t very exciting.

So, let’s give folks extra time to enjoy the first tailgate of the year in the gorgeous early-Fall State College weather.

September 12 @ Temple: 3:30 p.m.

Ordinarily, the classic inter-Pennsylvania matchup against Temple would be brushed away as a noon kickoff, given how historically dominant the Nittany Lions have been. However, Penn State heads to Lincoln Financial Field for the 10th anniversary of the last time these two squads clashed, which adds extra juice to this game.

Additionally, there are two gargantuan SEC vs. Big Ten matchups: Michigan vs. Oklahoma and Texas vs. Ohio State that will likely occupy the noon and night window.

Kicking off the game at 3:30 p.m. would also allow Penn Staters to make the roughly three-and-a-half-hour drive to Philadelphia without waking up at an ungodly hour.

September 19 vs. Buffalo: Noon

In all honesty, the Bulls coming to Happy Valley is about as “noon kickoff” as it gets.

Of course, games are played on grass, not on paper, but expect this one to follow the standard approach against FCS opponents.

September 26 vs. Wisconsin: 3:30 p.m.

I actually believe that this game has the potential to be chosen as Penn State football’s 2026 “White Out”, despite Wisconsin’s lackluster program. In 2025, the “White Out” came against Oregon in just the fourth game of the season.

Unfortunately, Penn State doesn’t have a ton of marquee matchups coming to Beaver Stadium this Fall, which is why I could see them scheduling the “White Out” against the Badgers while the weather is still welcoming, but I fear that would be a total waste for the “Greatest Show in Sports.”

Let’s just settle for the mid-day window.

October 2 @ Northwestern: 7:30 p.m.

There is an enormous missed opportunity to host this game at the brand-spanking-new Ryan Field, which reportedly won’t be operational until late November of this year. Regardless, this matchup oddly falls on a Friday, which is why I’m confident this will be a 7:30 p.m. game broadcast on NBC.

Give folks some time to leave class and get to their preferred football-watching spot, ya know?

October 10 vs. USC: 7:30 p.m.

One of the biggest college football rivalries will go down during week six: Texas versus Oklahoma. But that will likely kick off at noon, paving the way for a late-night window for Penn State and USC.

Hosting the Trojans is arguably Penn State’s only must-see home game of the season, so it makes sense to crown it as the 2026 “White Out”.

NBC will surely snatch this one up for its “Big Ten Saturday Night” special.

October 17 @ Michigan: Noon

Sorry to disappoint, but this matchup in Ann Arbor screams Fox Big Noon Kickoff, and to make matters even worse, Penn State fans will have to travel to Michigan to experience the gameday fun.

After a two-year hiatus from the Nittany Lion-Wolverine matchup, the fierce rivalry returns in 2026, but it will likely be much more deflated than in years past.

Regardless, it will be just over four years since Penn State’s last trip to Michigan Stadium, which is why I think FOX will gobble up this opportunity.

October 31 vs. Purdue: Noon

I’m going to keep it real: this game must kick off at noon. The Nittany Lions’ matchup against Purdue falls on Halloween, one of the most sacred holidays of a college town. And on a Saturday at that? This is the perfect chance to create the holy grail of all-day drinking, starting at 9 a.m. and going into the early-Sunday-morning hours.

This way, the game will wrap up around 4 p.m., allowing students to trek home for a quick bite and power nap to recharge for the spookiest night of the year.

Who’s down to tailgate in a Halloween costume?

November 7 @ Washington: 7:30 P.M.

The last time Penn State played Washington came in the 2024 “White Out”, as the Nittany Lions pieced together a dominant 35-6 victory in Beaver Stadium. This time around, Penn State will travel to the sleek Northwest Stadium on the Washington waterfront, and I, for one, want to see this game played under the bright lights as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean.

These might not be the same Huskies who made it to the 2023 College Football National Championship, but nonetheless, let’s get NBC on the phone to create some “Big Ten Saturday Night” magic with stunning surrounding visuals.

November 14 vs. Minnesota: 3:30 P.M.

Penn State had six 3:30 p.m. kickoffs in 2025, so to reach a number near that quota, I’m slapping another one on Minnesota.

Not too much rhyme or reason other than that.

November 21 vs. Rutgers: Noon

Penn State’s final home game of the season usually comes right before Thanksgiving break, and 2026 is no different. A ton of students will be migrating home from State College this weekend, leaving Beaver Stadium with a depleted student section that certainly doesn’t need any exposure to mainstream media.

Let’s go ahead and kick off against Rutgers at noon, and let the die-hard fans who stayed for a game against the, let’s be honest, unimpressive Scarlet Knights, rather than enjoy some extra break, hit the road by 7 p.m. Saturday night.

November 28 @ Maryland: 3:30 p.m.

Week 13 boasts a handful of must-watch matchups, especially in the Big Ten, which is why I don’t think this game will be in the late window (Washington @ Oregon), nor do I think it will be a noon kickoff (Michigan @ Ohio State), so that leaves the 3:30 p.m. window for Penn State’s regular-season finale.

Hopefully, Matt Campbell’s squad will be sitting pretty in the standings by now, allowing Penn Staters all over to enjoy a relaxing mid-day conference beatdown on the Terrapins to close out the regular season.