WEEK 13 · Nov 28 · SECU STADIUM · 163 DAYS SP+ '25 +18.1 · #15

Penn State

Year 1 of the Campbell transplant: 22 Cyclones imported, Becht under center, market says 9.5 wins against a soft schedule

2025 · 7-6 — James Franklin fired Oct 12 after a 3-3 start; closed with four straight wins incl. 22-10 over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl

Scout dashboard Advance report 2025 leaders → Roster breakdown Depth chart Official roster ↗ ← All opponents

THE MARYLAND ANGLE

Regular-season finale, Nov 28 in College Park — eleven games of Mouser tape by then, and the Iowa State carryover makes the self-scout cheap. Plan starts with early-down run fits versus 12/13 personnel and bracketing Brahmer; force Becht into long third downs and the receiver room is the weak link.

Offense

SCHEMEMouser 'spread pro' — run-game-centered, heavy 12/13 personnel with TEs as both lead blockers and receivers; NFL (Rams/Colts) structure, multi-tempo

QBBecht (Iowa State transfer) — no-doubt QB1, 26 career D-I wins (most of any active QB). Rehabbing labrum surgery on non-throwing shoulder; non-contact in spring, expected full for camp. QB2 unsettled: D-III transfer Barry took spring first-team reps while ISU transfer Manske rehabbed

RETURNCousins (OG) · Donkoh (OT) · Goodman (OT) · Martin Jr. (RB) · Rappleyea (TE) · Howard (WR)

ADDSBecht (QB, Iowa State) · Brahmer (TE, Iowa State — 247's No. 1 portal TE) · Hansen (RB, Iowa State) · Peoples (RB, Ohio State) · Sowell (WR, Iowa State) · Eskildsen (WR, Iowa State) · Buhr (OG, Iowa State) · Riker (C, Texas State)

Iowa State's offense relocated nearly intact: QB, OC, OL coach, lead back, and the top two TEs all came together, so install friction should be minimal. Identity is run-first out of multi-TE sets with Brahmer the featured matchup piece. Becht's shoulder is the only health flag; receiver top-end speed is the thinnest spot on paper.

Defense

SCHEMELynn (ex-USC DC, PSU alum) — multiple, coverage-heavy; stout front to play light boxes and flood coverage; unified Cover 3 teaching across calls

RETURNRojas (LB — returning from torn ACL, walkthrough-only in spring) · Granville (DE — back from injury) · Collins (CB — started all 13 in 2025, HM All-B1G) · Tracy (CB) · Dixson (CB) · Kemajou (DE) · Toure (S)

ADDSCooper (DB, Iowa State) · Bacon (LB, Iowa State) · Brezina (LB, Iowa State) · Williams (DT, UCLA) · Taupaki (DT, UCLA) · Vakalahi (DT, Utah) · McPherson (EDGE, Colorado) · Neal Jr. (S, Iowa State)

Near-total rebuild: 19 of the 40 portal adds are defenders and only about three returning Nittany Lions project to start — and that assumes Rojas beats the ACL clock by September. Corner room (Collins, Tracy, Dixson plus Cooper) is the most continuous unit. Front six is transfer-built and unproven together; early-season run fits are the obvious stress point.

Coaching

HCMatt Campbell · 1st year NEW 2026

OCTaylor Mouser (followed Campbell from Iowa State, OC there since 2024)

DCD'Anton Lynn (hired from USC, where he was DC two seasons; former PSU corner)

CHANGESFranklin fired Oct 2025; Smith interim, retained as associate HC/CBs · Campbell hired from Iowa State Dec 8, 2025 · Mouser new OC (Iowa State), Lynn new DC (USC) — both first season · Lustig the lone coordinator holdover (ST) · Malloe (DL/run game, ex-UCLA DC), Veidt (LB, ex-Cincinnati DC), Broomfield (S/pass game, Iowa State), Clanton (OL, Iowa State)

Campbell brought the Iowa State operation east nearly whole — staff continuity with his own system is the bet, and the schedule (no Ohio State, Indiana, or Oregon) gives Year 1 room to breathe. Lynn is the one outside hire at coordinator and the early spring reviews were strong.

Roster Changes

Becht (QB, Iowa State)
Brahmer (TE, Iowa State)
Cooper (DB, Iowa State)
Hansen (RB, Iowa State)
Peoples (RB, Ohio State)

OUT

Coleman (EDGE, Tennessee — 247's No. 3 overall portal prospect)
Harris (CB, Indiana)
Washington II (CB, Clemson)
Campbell (LB, Tennessee)
Mack (S, NC State)

A program transplant, not a retool: 40+ out, 37 in, 22 straight from Ames. Continuity inside the incoming group raises the floor, but elite young talent (Coleman) and most of the 2025 secondary walked.

Special Teams

Barker back at kicker (18/19 in 2025; 33/37 career, never missed inside 40) and Lustig retained as ST coordinator after his unit finished No. 1 in ESPN FPI ST efficiency. Punter is new — Nwosu gone to the NFL; Mississippi State transfer Tiyce battling freshman Tenbrock.

Vegas

9.5WIN TOTAL · FanDuel · +5000 national title; +2000 Big Ten (spring odds roundups; book attribution not pinned)

Over 9.5 at +110 / under -134 — market gives Campbell roughly a coin flip at 10 wins despite topping nine only once in 14 prior seasons. Media framing: playoff-capable in Year 1 because the schedule misses Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon, but expectations tempered versus the 2025 preseason hype.

Key Players

BechtQB

26 career wins, ran this exact offense three years; labrum rehab the only flag

BrahmerTE

No. 1 portal TE; centerpiece of the 12/13-personnel attack as blocker and seam threat

HansenRB

Iowa State's lead back, imported with his OL coach and scheme intact

RojasLB

Defense's pivot if the ACL return holds — near 20% of his 2025 tackles were behind the line

CooperDB

Iowa State ballhawk anchoring a rebuilt secondary alongside Collins and Tracy

BarkerK

33/37 career, never missed inside 40 — flips every red-zone stall into points

Researched 2026-06-09 · 247Sports, On3, Penn State On SI, Onward State, StateCollege.com, Daily Collegian, gopsusports.com, FootballScoop, CBS Sports, FOX Sports… · 20 sources on file