The Penn State Nittany Lions are not living up to expectations after five games in the 2026 college football season. It started with a close loss to the Wisconsin Badgers at home, followed by a blowout loss to the Northwestern Wildcats. Today, the Lions sit at 3-2 and are getting ready to host the USC Trojans in the traditional whiteout again. It will still be loud, but two losses in a row will likely make the crowd not quite as loud as in other years, which benefits the Trojans, obviously.
Things seem to be at rock bottom for the Lions as they went from a program that won every game except the big games to not even being able to win against average teams. A win over the Trojans would help build confidence, but with the way they are playing, the Trojans could walk all over them unless something changes. With that being said, let’s get into if the Penn State football can change the narrative or not.
Can Penn State Football Turn Their Season Around?
Why They Could Turn Things Around
As ugly as things are for the Lions, they have a first-year head coach in Matt Campbell who came from and brought in players from Iowa State. The point being here is that the Big Ten Conference is a different animal, and Campbell and his crew may just need some time to adjust after coming over from the Big 12.
The next reason they can turn things around is the return of Koby Howard. The Lions have been bad, but Howard, who is their best wide receiver, has been injured and did not play in both the Lions’ losses. Howard will not play against the Trojans, but he could possibly return to next week’s game against the Michigan Wolverines, as he posted on his Instagram story the date of their matchup with the Wolverines following his injury.
Then, the White-Out environment could help the Lions turn things around, as loud noise may be a reminder that even though they lost two games, the season is far from over. If that mentality can come, better football could be played, and the Lions could pull off the upset at home. The Trojans also struggle on the road, and the whiteout can play to the Lions’ advantage.
Why They May Continue To Lose
Unfortunately for the Lions, there are more reasons to believe more losses are coming. The first being the teams coming up. The Lions host the No. 19-ranked USC Trojans, and while they may struggle on the road, they have looked far better than Penn State so far this season. The Lions also have to travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Wolverines next Saturday, and while the Wolverines are far from contenders, they tend to always have the Nittany Lions number. There is a legit possibility that Penn State goes from 3-2 to 3-4 really quick.
The next reason is the struggling defensive line. The Lions gave up 350 rushing yards to two Wildcats running backs last week, and the defense is really struggling. While addressing the defense, you also have the offense really struggling, as they scored just 33 points in their last two matchups, and it is hard to see them keeping up with Big Ten opponents with their poor running game as well.
The Nittany Lions are at rock bottom, and questions surrounding whether Campbell is the right fit to lead the Nittany Lions are heating up. The Lions will have to tune out that noise and play their best game yet if they want to turn things around. With the Trojans and Wolverines as their upcoming opponents, do you think the Penn State will turn things around here, or will the struggles continue?
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