Penn State: November Big Ten Coaching Matchup Will Define Season

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New Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell knows he needs to win this season and establish a strong culture to build for the future.

The Nittany Lions were boosted by 24 transfers from Iowa State this offseason. The transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten will be one of the most interesting storylines for PSU this season.

There are good reasons to think Campbell can be successful in Year 1. He was a strong coach at ISU, taking a Cyclones team that was an afterthought in the Big 12 and turning them into a team that made runs for the Big 12 championship and made annual bowl games. 

Campbell will face tougher competition in the Big Ten both with talent on the field and against coaches on the opposite sideline.

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports named Penn State's contest against Washington on Nov. 7 as one of the top coaching battles for the fall. They have a similar resume, and it will be one of the toughest matchups for the Nittany Lions.

"The first matchup between two coaches who have done more with less over their careers carries considerable intrigue, given the respect these two teams command just outside the Big Ten's elite tier," Crawford wrote. "Both coaches have built reputations by maximizing development, uncovering overlooked talent, and winning without much of the blue-chip advantages enjoyed by college football's top 10. 

"Fisch did flip five-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene from Oregon this cycle, but the point remains — retention and development have been his calling card. Campbell brings a sturdy, detail-driven identity to Penn State, while Fisch has transformed Washington through roster construction and offensive imagination. Penn State is one of only two Big Ten teams this season that misses Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State, but this is one of the Nittany Lions' toughest matchups."

Beating Fisch and Washington would show that Campbell is capable of beating some of the better minds in the Big Ten, and could incentivize the program to spend more aggressively for transfer talent in the offseason. 

Outside of that contest, Campbell will have big matchups against USC's Lincoln Riley and Michigan's Kyle Whittingham. 

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