Penn State football has played out-of-conference foes away from Beaver Stadium just four times since 2015. Narrow the criteria to non-Power 4 opponents, and that number drops to one: Temple.

It goes without saying that this group of Nittany Lions will be in for a new experience this weekend as they board the bus to Philadelphia.

The chance to play a road game this early in the season, even if it’s only three hours away, is a unique opportunity that Matt Campbell believes will help his team later in the year. It might not be the Super Bowl of college football matchups, facing a Temple team that has struggled greatly in recent seasons, but it will still be a learning opportunity and a challenge.

“This is going to be huge for us,” Campbell said. “Great teams play great on the road. That’s just how it goes. Understanding the zoom focus it takes, understanding a noon game on the road; on top of it, I think a lot of things that this group is going to have to navigate forward.”

Penn State won’t be competing in just any ordinary venue on Saturday. Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, will host the contest.

For many players on the roster, this will be the first time they take the field in an NFL stadium, something a good chunk of this team will hope to be doing on the regular on future Sundays.

Campbell is a close friend of Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. The two played together at Mount Union and were roommates.

On Monday, the coaches chatted over the phone about Penn State’s upcoming matchup at “The Linc.” Campbell has experience coaching there during his time with Toledo and Bowling Green, but he never takes talking with Sirianni for granted.

“Nick has been a great sounding board,” Campbell said. “We’ve gone through some of the same journeys as head football coaches, good moments and tough moments. And to be honest with you, I think the tough moments have probably been when we’ve been able to grow together.”

Campbell and his squad hope to avoid too many of those tough moments against the Owls, and proper preparation is key to keeping them to a minimum.

As with last week and every week moving forward, the coaching staff will work to ensure the Nittany Lions perform at their highest level. No matter the in-game scenario or quality of opponent, Penn State maintains the mindset that winning in all facets is critical.

“You don’t really care about a score or a scoreboard; it’s more about a standard,” Campbell said.

On that other sideline will be another familiar face for Campbell. K.C. Keeler, the Temple head coach, is responsible for Campbell’s lone career loss at Mount Union, when Keeler was the man in charge at Rowan University.

Physicality was a big trait of that Rowan team, something Campbell expects to see again, this time in cherry and white. While he hopes Saturday will have a different outcome than the 1999 loss, Campbell can’t help but respect the job Keeler has done at Temple and the other stops along his journey.

“He’s done a great job at putting any program he’s been at in a position to play great football,” he said.