Matt Campbell’s first year at Penn State football has been a little rocky. The Nittany Lions sit at 3-4 after a four-game skid to open Big Ten play, yet support for the team has not diminished.

Two of those supporters are competing in the race for governor. Gubernatorial candidates Stacy Garrity and incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro — despite their political differences — cheer for Penn State football.

Each candidate gave Onward State their thoughts on this season, Campbell, and the team’s future.

Stacy Garrity

Garrity was born in Athens, Pennsylvania, in 1964 and has seen several iterations of Penn State football. From the national championships in the 1980s to the struggles of the past few seasons.

Despite the recent stumbles, Garrity remains confident in Penn State and Campbell.

“I am excited about head coach Matt Campbell for the long run. He fits Penn State culture and has demonstrated that by his actions. For instance, he gave up part of his office, so Special Teams had more meeting space. That’s the no-name jersey, black shoe, and white helmet with the blue stripe mentality at work.

“I was at the White Out and was overwhelmed at the enthusiasm from the 114,000 in attendance. Watching the game, it’s clear Penn State needs Koby Howard back. He is the most dynamic player on the offense and opens up the whole offense as much as Tony Rojas is the most dominant defensive player in the Big Ten — maybe the nation.

“I’m hopeful they settle on the best one, two running back punch for the remaining five games. Quinton Martin Jr. needs more carries. The WPIAL star is the best running back on the team and almost impossible to tackle.

“The best is yet to come.”

Josh Shapiro

While Shapiro was not born in Pennsylvania, he has held office in the state since running for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 153rd district in 2004.

Shapiro has seen the ups and downs of the early 2000s and the entire James Franklin tenure.

“I am optimistic about the future. I mean, look, the coach got a bit of a late start, which made it a little bit harder to recruit. So I want to see what Coach Campbell does when he’s got a full year to prepare, to recruit, to get the best talent in.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how strong we finish this year because I have a sense that they’re going to do better. They’re better in their record, and then to give him an opportunity to really move forward into the second year.

“I think Penn State football is not just great football — I’m a huge sports fan — it’s also just a cultural event. I mean, from the White Out to just a regular game, there’s something cultural about being together at a Penn State game that is just exciting; it’s fun. And obviously it’s even more fun when they win.

“So to me, yeah, it’s about the game, and again, as a huge sports fan, I love when Penn State is playing well. But importantly, I think for our entire Commonwealth, it is a cultural thing, and it’s really, really important.”

The Pennsylvania general election will take place on Tuesday, November 3.