It’s the first game week of Penn State football’s 2026 season, folks, and that means it’s time for one last review of the road ahead for the Nittany Lions before things really kick off.

In new head coach Matt Campbell’s first season, the Nittany Lions will have all sorts of tests. From Big Ten powerhouses like Michigan to the Thundering Herd of Marshall, Penn State plays teams from all over the talent spectrum.

Here’s how Penn State football’s 2026 opponents stack up.

No. 12: September 12 At Temple

Temple is a mid-tier Group of Five school that finished the 2025 season with a 5-7 record.

Even if the Owls remarkably improve this year, I can’t see this team giving the Nittany Lions much trouble. There was that one time in 2025, however.

No. 11: September 19 vs. Buffalo

Buffalo also finished with a 5-7 record last year, but had a much better season than Temple in 2024.

While the current Bulls roster is very different from the team that had 10 wins and made a bowl game, they still have more recent success than the Owls. Still, they shouldn’t put up much of a fight against Penn State.

No. 10: October 31 vs. Purdue

Putting the Boilermakers below a G5 school may be controversial, but Purdue has been one of the worst power conference teams for several years running. The last time they beat a Big Ten opponent was in 2023, and there’s nothing that makes me think this year’s Purdue squad will be any different.

No. 9: September 5 vs. Marshall

Marshall also hasn’t beaten a power conference school since 2023, but they have had recent success, including a Sun Belt Conference championship in 2024.

Does that mean they’ll beat Penn State? Definitely not, but I think they would beat Purdue.

No. 8: November 28 At Maryland

The next two teams on this list are pretty interchangeable. I’ll give the edge to Rutgers because they beat Maryland head-to-head last year. Maryland does have some upside, though, especially if sophomore quarterback Malik Washington improves in his second season.

The Terrapins won’t be too bad in 2026, but they aren’t good enough to beat Penn State.

No. 7: November 21 vs. Rutgers

Rutgers likes to think they’re on the same level as Penn State, but they’re definitely closer to the Boilermakers than they are to the Nittany Lions.

After losing quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to the Washington Commanders in the NFL Draft, the Scarlet Knights need to find a new QB1, and a lot more has to go right if they want to improve on a five-win 2025 season.

That being said, the Scarlet Knights have a chance to give Penn State some trouble. I don’t think it’s very likely, as Rutgers’ two conference wins last season were against Purdue and Maryland, but if the Nittany Lions struggle in year one under Matt Campbell, this could be a close game.

No. 6: October 2 At Northwestern

In my opinion, Northwestern is the last team on this list that is a clear easy win for Penn State. Barring a repeat of the total collapse that happened last season, the Nittany Lions should comfortably beat the Wildcats. But, like many fans learned last season, things don’t always go according to plan.

Northwestern had more success against Big Ten opponents last year than Purdue, Rutgers, and Maryland combined. They won four conference games, including the one that got James Franklin fired.

Could they achieve back-to-back victories over the Nittany Lions? Maybe, but the chance of that is very low.

No. 5: September 26 vs. Wisconsin

The top five kicks off with a team that had a very unpredictable 2025 season. Wisconsin beat Washington and Illinois, both ranked teams, but they lost to Maryland and finished the year with a 4-8 record.

If the Badgers can put it all together, they can definitely beat Penn State. Two big wins last year were enough to give Wisconsin a high spot on the list, but it’s hard to tell how this team will perform after a mixed season.

For now, I’ll give the edge to the Nittany Lions.

No. 4: November 14 vs. Minnesota

Minnesota is coming off a 7-5 regular season and a Rate Bowl win over New Mexico in 2025. The Golden Gophers’ worst loss was to Northwestern, but they beat Nebraska, which was ranked at the time.

Quarterback Drake Lindsey had a good 2025 season, and a step up from him in 2026 will make Minnesota that much better. I still think this game should be a win for Penn State, but Minnesota has a good chance of finishing near the top of the Big Ten.

No. 3: November 7 At No. 17 Washington

Some people would probably argue that Washington is better than Michigan, but with almost all of the Huskies’ starting skill-position players different from last season, I’m not sure how well it will all fit together. Washington also had a head-to-head loss against Michigan last year.

Washington is the first team on this list that Penn State is not favored against, though the current margins are very close. I definitely wouldn’t mark the Huskies down as an easy win for the Nittany Lions, but it’s nowhere near a definite loss.

No. 2: October 17 At No. 16 Michigan

Michigan will be a good team in 2026, but I don’t think they’re as good as everyone is saying.

To start, I don’t think quarterback Bryce Underwood is everything they claimed he was. Unless he takes a big step forward this season, Michigan will probably finish around 8-4, and one of those losses could come at the hands of Penn State.

However, Michigan is currently favored to win by most sportsbooks and according to the rankings, so unless Campbell can break James Franklin’s curse against high-ranked opponents, the Nittany Lions will leave the Big House with a loss.

No. 1: October 10 vs. No. 14 USC

USC is definitely the consensus choice for Penn State’s hardest opponent in 2026. The Trojans are the opponent of choice for this year’s White Out game, after all. Not to mention they’re already 1-0 on the season, earning a 42-26 victory over San Jose State in Week 0.

Star quarterback Jayden Maiava and lead rusher King Miller, as well as several other key offensive pieces, are returning for the Trojans in 2026. They will have a different look on defense, however, with former coordinator D’Anton Lynn joining Matt Campbell’s coaching staff at Penn State.

That being said, there’s still a definite path for Penn State to beat the Trojans. Penn State is currently favored to beat USC at home, and with some White Out momentum on their side, the Nittany Lions absolutely have a chance.