2026 Week 1 Preview: Marshall Thundering Herd @ Penn State Nittany Lions

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Apr 25, 2026; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during the Penn State Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Game notes

Time and date: Saturday, September 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Network: FS1
Location: Beaver Stadium — University Park, PA
Spread: Penn State (-24.5)
Over/under: 52.5
All-time series: Penn State leads, 2-0
Last meeting: Penn State 65, Marshall 0 — October 11, 1930
Current streak: Penn State, 2 (1929-30)

Setting the scene

The United States was in the early stages of the Great Depression last time Penn State and Marshall shared a football field. New Beaver Field lured 5,000 spectators to State College that day, as the Nittany Lions handled the Thundering Herd in a 65-0 shutout.

Nearly a century later, roughly 100,000 will be on site to witness a new era of Penn State football. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 7-6 season that fell extremely short of lofty preseason expectations. They parted ways with James Franklin and introduced former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell as the new frontman in Happy Valley.

Penn State’s first test is solving a Marshall team coming off a disappointing 2025. The 2024 Sun Belt champions regressed to 5-7 in Tony Gibson’s first year at the helm. However, the Thundering Herd enjoy significantly more continuity this year, hoping that plays into their advantage as underdogs in Big Ten Country.

Marshall Thundering Herd outlook

Marshall faced an uphill battle heading into 2025. After claiming its first Sun Belt title, head coach Charles Huff departed for Southern Miss and much of the roster followed. Still, the Thundering Herd clearly had the talent to attain bowl eligibility, but they struggled in close affairs. Marshall finished 1-4 in one-score contests, and it lost three games when leading with under 2:30 remaining.

Last season, Marshall didn’t start its best quarterback until Week 3. Now, Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is an established starter, recognized as the Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He collected 2,043 passing yards and 660 rushing yards as a dual-threat specialist. Through it all, he remained efficient with a 66.8 completion rate and 17 touchdowns versus five interceptions.

Del Rio-Wilson will look to pick Penn State’s secondary apart with a familiar cast of receivers. Wide receivers De’Andre Tamarez and Adrian Norton and First Team All-Sun Belt tight end Toby Payne each recorded more than 25 receptions and 360 yards last year. When looking for the home run play, Norton is the premier option. He averaged 19.3 yards per catch during a 2024 All-MAC season at Akron and will be the Herd’s most impactful skill position player Saturday.

Marshall fielded the nation’s No. 22 ranked rushing offense a year ago. Del Rio-Wilson’s mobility certainly helped contribute to that ranking as the leading rusher, but the team used an army of rotating backs behind him, and most were effective. Jo’Shon Barbie is the top returning running back, and he’ll be supported by FCS West Georgia, as well as a sturdy line anchored by All-Sun Belt guard Jalen Slappy.

The Thundering Herd were not nearly as strong defensively as they were on offense. Marshall finished 108th nationally in both scoring defense and total defense. It surrendered 35+ points on five occasions and only limited two opponents below 21 — FCS Eastern Kentucky and 1-11 Georgia State. Gibson hired Brad Lambert as the new defensive coordinator. The 61-year old brings nearly 40 years of coaching experience and previously served as the Herd’s DC from 2019-20.

There are capable pieces to build around. Marshall retains its sacks leader Braydin Ward (5.0) at defensive end, along with its tackles for loss leader Javae Gilmore (11.5). Backfield invasion was the calling card of the defense last year, and that should remain the case in 2026. The Thundering Herd also bring back two starting defensive backs in Daytione Smith and Josh Pierre-Louis. Smith picked off three passes on a unit which ranked fourth in the Sun Belt in turnovers created, and any interception opportunities will be critical as underdogs in a hostile road environment.

Two of Marshall’s most impactful defensive transfers arrive from NC State, where Gibson served as defensive coordinator from 2019-24. Kelvon McBride takes over as the team’s edge rusher, while Terrente Hinton brings 16 tackles of experience at strong safety. The Herd also landed a pair of Buffalo cornerbacks, Charles McCatherens and Eddie Pleasant III, which will be tested by a transfer laden Nittany Lion receiver corps.

Penn State Nittany Lions outlook

For the first time since 2013, the Nittany Lions open a season without James Franklin. Matt Campbell arrives after ushering in a golden era of Iowa State football, highlighted by a 2020 Fiesta Bowl victory, two Big 12 Championship appearances, the first 11-win campaign in program history, and eight winning seasons in a nine-year stretch.

Campbell led a mass migration from Ames, IA to Happy Valley this offseason, bringing 24 transfers, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, and several position coaches along with him. The headliner of the former Cyclones is quarterback Roccho Becht, who accrued three years of starting experience in the Big 12. Becht’s best work was observed in Iowa State’s historic 2024 run, where he collected 3,505 passing yards, 318 rushing yards, and accounted for 33 total touchdowns.

The former Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP is surrounded with familiar faces. The 6’2”, 216-pound bulldozing running back Carson Hansen exchanges his cardinal and gold for blue and white after posting 1,704 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns across the last two seasons in Ames. Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell also join Becht on offense after serving as his top two receivers a year ago. The Iowa State influence at receiver further extends to breakout candidates Zay Robinson and Karon Brookins, who both enter their redshirt freshman seasons, as well as tight end Ben Brahmer and All-Big 12 honorable mention left guard Trevor Buhr.

There’s still recognizable talent from the Franklin era in Happy Valley. Anthony Donkoh will move back to right tackle after starting at right guard last season, and tight end Andrew Rappleyea returns after securing 20 receptions and three touchdowns in 2025. Other non-Cyclones in the unit include James Peoples, who finished third in rushing at Ohio State last fall, and sophomore center Ben Riker, who allowed zero sacks in 438 snaps at Texas State.

Campbell’s transplants are prevalent on defense as well, especially at linebacker and safety. At linebacker, Kooper Ebel brings his 77 tackles and 8.0 tackles for loss from Ames to State College, while Caleb Bacon arrives after contributing 68 stops and 9.5 tackles for loss. Strong safety Marcus Neal tied Abel for the team-lead with 77 tackles and generated a unit-best 11.0 tackles for loss as a commanding run-stopper from the secondary. He’ll be joined in the defensive backfield by Jeremiah Cooper, who suffered a season-ending injury four games into last season, as well as Jamison Patton, who is coming off a 48-tackle, 2-interception campaign.

Outside linebacker Tony Rojas suffered a similar fate to Cooper last year, limited to four games due to injury. Rojas is one of the veteran leaders of this defense, serving as a 16-game starter during the Nittany Lions’ 2024 College Football Playoff run. Other starters accustomed to Beaver Stadium include cornerbacks Audavion Collins and Zion Tracy. The two veterans hope to make a greater impact in the turnover game this year after the Nittany Lions logged only six interceptions in 2025.

To do that, a stronger pass rush is needed. Iowa State finished sixth-to-last in sacks last season, so Penn State looked to other sources to restock its defensive line. Armstrong Nnodim (Oklahoma State), Keanu Williams (UCLA), and Siale Taupaki (UCLA) are candidates to control the interior, while returning sophomores Yvan Kemajou and Max Granville hope to develop into the next Abdul Carter or Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Prediction

There is significantly more 2025 Iowa State production on this Nittany Lion roster than returning Penn State production. How does it all translate to Happy Valley, while meshing with returning players like Anthony Donkoh, Tony Rojas, and Zion Tracy?

Marshall has significant continuity advantages with a returning head coach, an established quarterback, and several All-Sun Belt selections. The mobile Carlos Del Rio-Wilson could pose a problem for the Nittany Lions’ defense as they break in an entirely new defensive line. With all the newness of the situation, it might take Penn State a half to settle in, but the Nittany Lions’ air attack led by Rocco Becht and his Cyclone receivers should ultimately exploit a Marshall secondary that ranked 127th in passing defense a year ago.

Penn State starts 1-0 for the sixth-straight season, but Marshall doesn’t go down without a fight, proving its mettle as Sun Belt contenders.

Prediction: Penn State 28, Marshall 16

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