Record
3-4 wins–losses
No rank assigned
Results earned. Wins and losses do not account for opponent strength or victory margin.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
SP+ workbook recordPenn State
2026 season
Big Ten
2026 preseason report
Historical preseason snapshot from 2026-07-29, including roster context and illustrative season projections. This is not a live injury feed.
What every system says
Penn State's rank in each system (1 = best). Middle rank 39 across 8 systems; best 16, worst 49, so they disagree by 33 places.
- Lab EPA
- #42
- Through week 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- Lab SRS
- #32
- up 22026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- SP+
- #36
- up 112026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
- Elo
- #16
- up 12026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- FPI
- #30
- down 22026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CORE
- #47
- up 3 · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:002026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CFBD SRS
- #49
- up 12026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- WEPA
- #42
- up 52026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
FPI context
ESPN FPI via CFBD · 2026
Résumé and schedule
Results earned and schedule difficulty
- Strength of record
- #80 of 138
- Schedule strength
- #45 of 138
- Remaining schedule strength
- #75 of 138
- Game control
- #36 of 138
Unit efficiency
Performance by unit
- Overall
- #37 of 138
- Offense
- #45 of 138
- Defense
- #31 of 138
- Special teams
- #66 of 138
Ranks calculated among rated FBS teams; ties share rank. #1 means strongest résumé, hardest schedule, best game control or highest efficiency. These are separate measures, not a combined forecast. Captured Oct 30, 2026, 06:02:01 CDT. FPI supplies no results-through week; capture time records when we received it.
Why the ratings disagree
Penn State · 2026. Each system answers a different question. The cards show each source's rank (published or computed here) and coverage, so a rank gap can also reflect which teams have data.
Descriptive EPA
0.064 net EPA/play
#42
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
Observed per-play efficiency after opponent adjustment. FBS-vs-FBS plays; no preseason strength prior. Sparse schedules can produce sharp early movement.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; opponent adjusted ridge
Lab EPA from CFBD playsLocal predictive SRS
7.11 points
#32 · Up 2 places since the previous CFBD cutoff
2026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
This season's 7 games, with recent games counting a bit more: average margin +5.92 (with blowouts capped at 35 points and overtime games counted as a 1-point result, then 2.5 points of home field removed) against opponents averaging +1.55, schedule #32 of 138 (#1 = toughest). That is worth +7.47 on its own; the preseason prior of +6.02 still carries 25% of the weight, giving +7.11.
How each game enters this SRS rating
Penn State · 2026, through CFBD Week 8. Margins are team minus opponent. The fit caps margins and treats overtime as a one-point result before adjusting for venue. Recent games carry more weight; the fit share includes the preseason prior in its denominator.
| Game | Raw margin → transformed | Venue adjustment | Recency weight | Fit share | Opponent rating | Margin term | Opponent term | Total term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 · Marshall home · 2026-09-05 · ID 401858434 | +45.00 → +35.00 | -2.50 | 0.7637 | 9.52% | -10.24 | 3.095 | -0.976 | 2.120 |
| Week 2 · Temple away · 2026-09-12 · ID 401858442 | +18.00 → +18.00 | +2.50 | 0.7937 | 9.90% | -6.53 | 2.029 | -0.646 | 1.383 |
| Week 3 · Buffalo home · 2026-09-19 · ID 401858456 | +42.00 → +35.00 | -2.50 | 0.8249 | 10.29% | -9.25 | 3.343 | -0.952 | 2.391 |
| Week 4 · Wisconsin home · 2026-09-26 · ID 401858466 | -4.00 → -4.00 | -2.50 | 0.8572 | 10.69% | +8.97 | -0.695 | 0.959 | 0.264 |
| Week 5 · Northwestern away · 2026-10-03 · ID 401858476 | -21.00 → -21.00 | +2.50 | 0.8909 | 11.11% | +10.95 | -2.055 | 1.216 | -0.839 |
| Week 6 · USC home · 2026-10-10 · ID 401858485 | -8.00 → -8.00 | -2.50 | 0.9259 | 11.55% | +7.22 | -1.212 | 0.833 | -0.379 |
| Week 7 · Michigan away · 2026-10-17 · ID 401858490 | -3.00 → -3.00 | +2.50 | 0.9622 | 12.00% | +6.07 | -0.060 | 0.729 | 0.669 |
Game terms +5.61 points; prior term +1.50 points. Their unrounded sum is the fitted rating +7.11 points. The preseason prior is +6.02 with 24.94% of the fit weight. Displayed values are rounded; the producer checks the unrounded identity within 0.00000001 points.
These are additive terms of the current fit, not the effect of removing a game. Opponent ratings already reflect the connected schedule. Lower-division opponents use the fixed anchor, not an individually fitted rating. The rating's model-based 95% band is ±9.3 points; this decomposition does not reduce uncertainty or assign causal effects.
Download fitted terms and source hashesEstimated strength from schedule-adjusted scoring margins, margin caps, home-field adjustment and recency weighting. Half of prior-season strength, including postseason, carries forward with two games of weight. SRS includes FCS opponents under a fixed strength assumption. 7 current games; prior available.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; generated 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00
Lab SRS from CFBD scoresExternal SP+
9.3 SP+ points
#36 · Up 11 places
2026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
Bill Connelly's published predictive strength estimate. Its method and scale differ from local SRS.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
Bill Connelly SP+ workbookExternal CORE
4.99 net points per 100 offensive + 100 defensive plays
#47 of 138 by overall (ranked here; CORE publishes no rank)
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams in this CORE board · 2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CFBD's context- and opponent-relative efficiency. Offense is higher-better; defense is points allowed above average, so lower is better; overall is offense minus defense. It counts only pass and rush plays from FBS-vs-FBS games, with no special teams, overtime or garbage time; early-week values are pulled toward average but are still uncertain, and it is not a résumé ranking. Its scale is not comparable to EPA, SRS or SP+. Offense 2.52 on 393 plays; defense -2.47 on 360 plays.
2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00
CFBD CORE ratingCORE board: offense vs defenseEPA ranks Penn State 10 places lower than local SRS at the matched cutoff. This identifies a disagreement; it does not isolate its cause. SP+ movement compares provider weeks 8 and 9. Provider weeks may differ from CFBD weeks, so no cross-provider rank gap is calculated. CORE reports its own inclusive cutoff and is shown beside these systems for comparison only; it is an external research rating and is never blended into the lab's opponent-adjusted EPA, local SRS or any pick.
Team ratings and rank gaps are not matchup spreads or win probabilities. Matchup context and a calibrated forecast mapping are required. Do not average EPA, SRS, SP+ and CORE values across their different scales.
Read local SRS assumptions and forecast evidenceProgram context
2026 · CFBD records, polls, recruiting, coaches- Record
- 3-4 · conf 0-4 · home 2-2 · away 1-2 · expected wins 3.8
- Polls (Week 9)
- unranked
- CFP latest
- not published
- CFP final
- not published
- Against the spread
- 2026: 3-4 ATS (-3.6 avg) · 2025: 5-8 ATS (-2.9 avg)
- Head coach
- Matt Campbell · hired 2025-12-08 · 0-0 over 1 captured season
- Recruiting classes
- 2024 #15 (266 pts) · 2025 #15 (255 pts) · 2026 #65 (194 pts)
- Returning
- 8% of production · 4% of usage
Passing, receiving and rushing detail
Category Production Usage Passing 3% 0% Receiving 14% 11% Rushing -2% 2% Shares of prior-season PPA and usage returning in each category. Missing values are unavailable.
Provider values from CFBD captures dated 2026-09-22, 2026-10-30. head coach for the season; tenure counts cover only the captured seasons, hire date is the provider's. Returning usage carries no signal beyond returning production in this repo's research; neither is a model input.
Recruiting by position group
2023–2026 classes · High school · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30 UTC
| Position group | Commits | Avg. stars | Avg. rating | Total rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Back | 19 | 3.53 | 0.9010 | 17.12 |
| Defensive Line | 20 | 3.70 | 0.8975 | 17.95 |
| Linebacker | 8 | 3.75 | 0.9018 | 7.21 |
| Offensive Line | 14 | 3.64 | 0.9142 | 12.80 |
| Quarterback | 5 | 3.40 | 0.8921 | 4.46 |
| Receiver | 15 | 3.67 | 0.9045 | 13.57 |
| Running Back | 6 | 3.83 | 0.9026 | 5.42 |
| Special Teams | 6 | 3.17 | 0.8602 | 5.16 |
Recruiting class aggregates, not current roster strength. Commits count recruits across the window; total rating also reflects class size. JUCO, prep-school and transfer ratings are excluded. These values do not enter the prediction model.
Player efficiency and usage
2026 · observed 2026-10-30 UTCPassing and rushing WEPA adjust efficiency for opponents. Kicker PAAR measures points added above replacement. Higher is better within each metric. Metric rows are ordered by sample size, followed by usage-only players. Usage is the share of team plays involving the player within each category; categories overlap and should not be added. CFBD definitions
| Player / history | Metric | Value | Plays / attempts | Overall usage | Usage detail | Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocco Becht · QBCFBD athlete 4801299. Iowa State (2022–2025); Penn State (2026–2026) | Passing WEPA | 0.490 | 222 | 52.4% | Pass 92.2% · Rush 14.7%1st 38.1% · 2nd 63.1% · 3rd 64.3% Standard downs 45.2% · Passing downs 72.1% | 2022: 3★ · 0.8797 |
Carson Hansen · RBCFBD athlete 5077502. Iowa State (2023–2025); Penn State (2026–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.198 | 74 | 16.2% | Pass 3.5% · Rush 30.2%1st 20.0% · 2nd 12.5% · 3rd 14.3% Standard downs 19.3% · Passing downs 7.8% | 2023: 3★ · 0.8656 |
James Peoples · RBCFBD athlete 5110454. Ohio State (2024–2025); Penn State (2026–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.112 | 61 | 13.3% | Pass 2.2% · Rush 25.4%1st 20.0% · 2nd 8.8% · 3rd 8.2% Standard downs 15.9% · Passing downs 6.2% | 2024: 4★ · 0.9484 |
Rocco Becht · QBCFBD athlete 4801299. Iowa State (2022–2025); Penn State (2026–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.047 | 37 | 52.4% | Pass 92.2% · Rush 14.7%1st 38.1% · 2nd 63.1% · 3rd 64.3% Standard downs 45.2% · Passing downs 72.1% | 2022: 3★ · 0.8797 |
Quinton Martin Jr. · RBCFBD athlete 5079577. Penn State (2024–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.147 | 32 | 9.9% | Pass 2.3% · Rush 18.6%1st 12.2% · 2nd 11.2% · 3rd 4.1% Standard downs 10.8% · Passing downs 7.5% | 2024: 4★ · 0.9550 |
Ryan Barker · PKCFBD athlete 5092232. Penn State (2023–2026) | Kicker PAAR | 2.650 | 13 | — | Pass — · Rush —1st — · 2nd — · 3rd — Standard downs — · Passing downs — | 2023: stars unavailable |
Alex Manske · QBCFBD athlete 5164316. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 8.3% | Pass 17.1% · Rush 2.5%1st 6.4% · 2nd 8.6% · 3rd 13.2% Standard downs 6.8% · Passing downs 13.6% | Not linked |
Amar'e Glover · RBCFBD athlete 5289329. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.9% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 5.0%1st 3.0% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 10.0% Standard downs 3.6% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Amarion Jackson · WRCFBD athlete 5273821. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.4% | Pass 1.8% · Rush 1.2%1st 1.5% · 2nd 2.1% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.8% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Andrew Rappleyea · TECFBD athlete 4899484. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 7.3% | Pass 15.2% · Rush 0.0%1st 4.3% · 2nd 5.0% · 3rd 14.3% Standard downs 5.7% · Passing downs 11.6% | Not linked |
Benjamin Brahmer · TECFBD athlete 4870608. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 7.1% | Pass 14.3% · Rush 0.0%1st 4.8% · 2nd 10.6% · 3rd 6.1% Standard downs 6.5% · Passing downs 8.5% | Not linked |
Brett Eskildsen · WRCFBD athlete 5148535. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 7.5% | Pass 15.2% · Rush 0.4%1st 5.7% · 2nd 11.3% · 3rd 6.1% Standard downs 6.5% · Passing downs 10.1% | Not linked |
Cam Wallace · RBCFBD athlete 5121541. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 8.8% | Pass 1.8% · Rush 14.4%1st 11.0% · 2nd 5.5% · 3rd 6.8% Standard downs 10.0% · Passing downs 5.4% | Not linked |
Chase Sowell · WRCFBD athlete 4912067. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 10.8% | Pass 22.5% · Rush 0.0%1st 8.1% · 2nd 16.3% · 3rd 8.2% Standard downs 9.4% · Passing downs 14.7% | Not linked |
Connor Barry · QBCFBD athlete 5082407. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.5% | Pass 3.6% · Rush 3.6%1st 0.0% · 2nd 4.2% · 3rd 11.5% Standard downs 0.0% · Passing downs 17.2% | Not linked |
Finn Furmanek · TECFBD athlete 5160164. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.1% | Pass 5.5% · Rush 0.0%1st 1.5% · 2nd 2.1% · 3rd 3.8% Standard downs 2.6% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Gabe Burkle · TECFBD athlete 4869519. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.5% | Pass 5.2% · Rush 0.0%1st 2.5% · 2nd 3.1% · 3rd 1.8% Standard downs 2.6% · Passing downs 2.4% | Not linked |
Karon Brookins · WRCFBD athlete 5215218. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.1% | Pass 5.5% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.0% · 2nd 4.2% · 3rd 3.8% Standard downs 0.9% · Passing downs 6.9% | Not linked |
Koby Howard · WRCFBD athlete 5141525. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 8.7% | Pass 19.5% · Rush 1.7%1st 8.5% · 2nd 7.1% · 3rd 13.2% Standard downs 8.6% · Passing downs 9.1% | Not linked |
Logan Cunningham · WRCFBD athlete 5219077. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.4% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 2.5%1st 0.0% · 2nd 4.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.8% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Peyton Falzone · QBCFBD athlete 5216958. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.4% | Pass 3.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.0% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 10.0% Standard downs 0.0% · Passing downs 7.1% | Not linked |
Zay Robinson · WRCFBD athlete 5296212. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.7% | Pass 5.6% · Rush 0.0%1st 2.9% · 2nd 1.9% · 3rd 4.1% Standard downs 2.3% · Passing downs 3.9% | Not linked |
Transfers
Incoming · 38 reported
| Player | From | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Manske · QB | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Alexander McPherson · EDGE | Colorado | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Alijah Carnell · DL | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Armstrong Nnodim · DL | Oklahoma State | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Benjamin Brahmer · TE | Iowa State | 2026-01-03 | 4★ / 0.9400 | Immediate |
| Brett Eskildsen · WR | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8900 | Immediate |
| Brock Riker · IOL | Texas State | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Cael Brezina · LB | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Caleb Bacon · LB | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 4★ / 0.9100 | Immediate |
| Carson Hansen · RB | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Chase Sowell · WR | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 4★ / 0.9300 | Immediate |
| Chris Fileppo · S | West Virginia | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Connor Barry · QB | Christopher Newport | 2026-01-22 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Cooper Alexander · TE | Iowa State | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Cristiano Rosa · K | James Madison | 2026-01-16 | — / — | Immediate |
| Dallas Vakalahi · DL | Utah | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Gabe Burkle · TE | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Hunter Sowell · S | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Ibn McDaniels · CB | Syracuse | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Ikenna Ezeogu · DL | Iowa State | 2026-01-14 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| James Peoples · RB | Ohio State | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Jamison Patton · S | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Jeremiah Cooper · S | Iowa State | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Karon Brookins · WR | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Keanu Williams · DL | UCLA | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Keith Jones Jr. · WR | Grambling | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Kooper Ebel · LB | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Kuol Kuol II · OT | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Marcus Neal Jr. · S | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 4★ / 0.9000 | Immediate |
| Nathan Tiyce · P | Mississippi State | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Omarion Davis · S | Boston College | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Rocco Becht · QB | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 4★ / 0.9400 | Immediate |
| Siale Taupaki · DL | UCLA | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Trevor Buhr · IOL | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Tyshon Huff · IOL | Tiffin University | 2026-01-13 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Vaea Ikakoula · IOL | Iowa State | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Will Tompkins · OT | Iowa State | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Zay Robinson · WR | Iowa State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
Outgoing · 48 reported
| Player | To | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. Harris · CB | Indiana | 2026-01-12 | 4★ / 0.9100 | Immediate |
| Alex Birchmeier · IOL | Liberty | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Amare Campbell · LB | Tennessee | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Andrew Olesh · TE | Oregon | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Anthony Ivey · WR | San José State | 2026-01-18 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Anthony Speca · LB | Purdue | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Antoine Belgrave-Shorter · S | Arizona State | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Bekkem Kritza · QB | Alabama A&M | 2026-01-26 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Brady O'Hara · IOL | Monmouth | 2026-01-21 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Cam Wallace · RB | Not reported | 2026-01-15 | 3★ / — | Withdrawn |
| Chaz Coleman · EDGE | Tennessee | 2026-01-10 | 5★ / 0.9800 | Immediate |
| Corey Smith · RB | Toledo | 2026-01-17 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Cortez Harris · EDGE | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Da'Kaari Nelson · LB | NC State | 2026-01-17 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Daniel Jennings · EDGE | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Dejuan Lane · S | Tennessee | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Eagan Boyer · OT | Florida | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Elliot Washington II · CB | Clemson | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Enai White · DL | Oklahoma State | 2026-01-20 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Ethan Grunkemeyer · QB | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-14 | 4★ / 0.9300 | Immediate |
| J'ven Williams · OT | Charlotte | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jabree Coleman · RB | South Carolina | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jaxon Smolik · QB | Temple | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Jaylen Harvey · EDGE | North Carolina | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jeff Exinor Jr. · WR | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Joey Schlaffer · TE | Temple | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Josiah Brown · WR | Not reported | 2026-02-02 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Kaden Saunders · WR | Southern Miss | 2026-01-07 | 4★ / — | Immediate |
| Kaleb Artis · DL | Temple | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Kari Jackson · LB | Toledo | 2026-01-18 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Kenny Woseley Jr. · CB | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-14 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Keon Wylie · LB | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| King Mack · S | NC State | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Kolin Dinkins · S | Temple | 2026-01-10 | — / — | Immediate |
| Lamont Payne Jr. · S | Delaware State | 2026-02-03 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Luke Reynolds · TE | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-11 | 4★ / 0.9400 | Immediate |
| Matt Henderson · TE | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Matt Outten · WR | Syracuse | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Michael Troutman III · IOL | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Mylachi Williams · EDGE | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Owen Wafle · DL | Duke | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Randy Adirika · DL | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Sam Siafa · DL | Delaware | 2026-01-28 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| TJ Shanahan Jr. · IOL | Florida | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Tikey Hayes · RB | Nebraska | 2026-07-14 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Tyseer Denmark · WR | Virginia Tech | 2026-01-16 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Xavier Gilliam · DL | Tennessee | 2026-01-09 | 4★ / 0.9400 | Immediate |
| Zuriah Fisher · EDGE | USC | 2026-01-12 | 4★ / 0.9200 | Immediate |
Transfer observations can include unresolved destinations. CFBD supplies no timezone for transfer dates and no athlete ID linking these records to the efficiency table. These observations do not establish current roster membership or game availability.
Descriptive context only; no player or transfer value enters the prediction model. Adjusted metrics require unambiguous season/team history. Usage-only rows use the captured athlete ID and team; conflicting usage identities are omitted. Missing values are unavailable, not zero. Provider coverage is incomplete.
Coaching eras
Continuous appointments at Penn State. Records are CFBD-attributed results; active tenures and the current season may be incomplete.
Matt Campbell · career 107–70 across 16 seasons and 3 schools
Tenure timeline · 18 appointments
2026–present · Matt Campbell · active at capture
0–0 · 0 attributed games · 1 seasons
Hired 2025-12-08. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2025–2025 · Terry Smith · interim
4–3 · 7 attributed games · 1 seasons
Hired 2025-10-12. Effective dates: 2025-10-18 to unknown.
2014–2025 · James Franklin
104–45 · 149 attributed games · 12 seasons
Hired 2014-01-11. Effective dates: unknown to 2025-10-18.
2012–2013 · Bill O'Brien
15–9 · 24 attributed games · 2 seasons
Hired 2012-01-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
1966–2011 · Joe Paterno
409–136–3 · 548 attributed games · 46 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1950–1965 · Rip Engle
104–48–4 · 156 attributed games · 16 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1949–1949 · Joe Bedenk
5–4 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1930–1948 · Bob Higgins
91–57–11 · 159 attributed games · 19 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1918–1929 · Hugo Bezdek
65–30–11 · 106 attributed games · 12 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1915–1917 · Dick Harlow
20–8 · 28 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1911–1914 · Bill Hollenback
23–9–2 · 34 attributed games · 4 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1910–1910 · Jack Hollenback
5–2–1 · 8 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1909–1909 · Bill Hollenback
5–0–2 · 7 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1904–1908 · Tom Fennell
33–17–1 · 51 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1903–1903 · Daniel Reed
5–3 · 8 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1900–1902 · Pop Golden
16–12–1 · 29 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1899–1899 · Sam Boyle
4–6 · 10 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1896–1898 · Samuel Newton
12–14 · 26 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
Season résumé · 2015–2026
Coach-attributed records appear beside team-season ratings, recruiting and poll context. Shared seasons appear once per coach; rows are not assigned to individual stints. Ratings describe team performance, not a causal coaching effect.
| Season / coach | Record | Conference | Postseason | SP+ | SRS | Recruiting rank | Final poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · Matt Campbell · incomplete attribution | 0–0 | — | — | 7.3 | 5.6 | 65 | — |
| 2025 · James Franklin | 3–3 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 18.1 | 14.4 | 15 | — |
| 2025 · Terry Smith | 4–3 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 18.1 | 14.4 | 15 | — |
| 2024 · James Franklin | 13–3 | 8–2 | 2–1 | 24.6 | 19.3 | 15 | 5 |
| 2023 · James Franklin | 10–3 | 7–2 | 0–1 | 23.5 | 22.8 | 14 | 13 |
| 2022 · James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | 1–0 | 22.4 | 18.6 | 6 | 7 |
| 2021 · James Franklin | 7–6 | 4–5 | 0–1 | 14.3 | 14 | 21 | — |
| 2020 · James Franklin | 4–5 | 4–5 | 0–0 | 13.9 | 5.3 | 15 | — |
| 2019 · James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | 1–0 | 24.3 | 20 | 12 | 9 |
| 2018 · James Franklin | 9–4 | 6–3 | 0–1 | 19 | 14.9 | 6 | — |
| 2017 · James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | 1–0 | 26 | 25.6 | 15 | 8 |
| 2016 · James Franklin | 11–3 | 9–1 | 0–1 | 19 | 17.5 | 20 | 7 |
| 2015 · James Franklin | 7–6 | 4–4 | 0–1 | 11.3 | 4.3 | 14 | — |
Source: CFBD · captured 2026-10-26T02:02:59.394463+00:00 UTC. Season résumé covers 2015–2026; timeline spans all returned tenures. — means unavailable. Career summaries cover active coaches at capture. This snapshot is descriptive and is not a pregame cutoff.
CFBD season overview
2026 stored season snapshot, including postseason and garbage time. Raw CFBD PPA is not opponent-adjusted EPA or player WEPA. No week cutoff; these values do not enter our forecasts.
Captured 2026-10-26 04:10:14.047809 UTC · Source data
Stat rankings
CFBD FBS ranks · source updated 2026-10-23 16:46:54 UTC · calculated 2026-10-26 04:10:14 UTC · provider cache expiry 2026-10-26 04:20:14 UTC. Rank 1 is best; percentiles use CFBD’s 0–100 scale.
| Statistic | Offense rank / population | Percentile | Defense rank / population | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA / play | 79 / 138 | 43.1 | 61 / 138 | 56.2 |
| Success rate | 85 / 138 | 38.7 | 52 / 138 | 62.8 |
| Explosiveness | 89 / 138 | 35.8 | 86 / 138 | 38.0 |
| Standard-down success | 101 / 138 | 27.0 | 53 / 138 | 62.0 |
| Passing-down success | T86 / 138 | 37.6 | 42 / 138 | 70.1 |
| Pass PPA | 34 / 138 | 75.9 | 14 / 138 | 90.5 |
| Rush PPA | 114 / 138 | 17.5 | 122 / 138 | 11.7 |
| Pass explosiveness | 65 / 138 | 53.3 | 6 / 138 | 96.4 |
| Rush explosiveness | 116 / 138 | 16.1 | 135 / 138 | 2.2 |
| Line yards | 123 / 138 | 10.9 | 71 / 138 | 48.9 |
| Second-level yards | 128 / 138 | 7.3 | 114 / 138 | 17.5 |
| Open-field yards | 126 / 138 | 8.8 | 117 / 138 | 15.3 |
| Stuff rate | 39 / 138 | 72.3 | 28 / 138 | 80.3 |
| Power success | 17 / 138 | 88.3 | 37 / 138 | 73.7 |
| Havoc | T47 / 138 | 66.1 | T39 / 138 | 71.5 |
| Front-seven havoc | T14 / 138 | 90.1 | T58 / 138 | 57.7 |
| DB havoc | T121 / 138 | 11.7 | T31 / 138 | 77.7 |
| Points / opportunity | T65 / 138 | 52.9 | 86 / 138 | 38.0 |
| Average field position | T30 / 138 | 78.5 | T22 / 138 | 84.3 |
| Field-position expected points | 27 / 138 | 81.0 | 21 / 138 | 85.4 |
Player PPA and usage
Ordered by overall usage. Open a player for pass, rush, down and situation splits. Usage is the provider’s share of team plays in each situation; PPA is the provider’s average or total for that player. Missing values stay blank (—); play counts are not supplied here. Standard downs are 1st down, 2nd-and-7 or shorter, and 3rd/4th-and-4 or shorter; other situations are passing downs.
Rocco Becht · QBUsage 52.4% · Avg PPA 0.213 · Total 53.577
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.213 | 53.577 | 52.4% |
| Pass | 0.372 | 79.305 | 92.2% |
| Rush | -0.263 | -8.955 | 14.7% |
| 1st down | -0.064 | -5.115 | 38.1% |
| 2nd down | 0.343 | 34.622 | 63.1% |
| 3rd down | 0.302 | 19.004 | 64.3% |
| Standard downs | 0.100 | 15.912 | 45.2% |
| Passing downs | 0.405 | 37.665 | 72.1% |
Carson Hansen · RBUsage 16.2% · Avg PPA 0.052 · Total 4.043
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.052 | 4.043 | 16.2% |
| Pass | -0.107 | -0.859 | 3.5% |
| Rush | 0.070 | 4.902 | 30.2% |
| 1st down | -0.146 | -6.151 | 20.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.122 | -2.430 | 12.5% |
| 3rd down | 0.632 | 8.852 | 14.3% |
| Standard downs | 0.056 | 3.806 | 19.3% |
| Passing downs | 0.024 | 0.237 | 7.8% |
James Peoples · RBUsage 13.3% · Avg PPA -0.072 · Total -4.640
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.072 | -4.640 | 13.3% |
| Pass | -0.200 | -1.002 | 2.2% |
| Rush | -0.062 | -3.637 | 25.4% |
| 1st down | -0.053 | -2.244 | 20.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.253 | -3.548 | 8.8% |
| 3rd down | 0.144 | 1.152 | 8.2% |
| Standard downs | -0.074 | -4.143 | 15.9% |
| Passing downs | -0.062 | -0.497 | 6.2% |
Chase Sowell · WRUsage 10.8% · Avg PPA 0.755 · Total 39.261
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.755 | 39.261 | 10.8% |
| Pass | 0.755 | 39.261 | 22.5% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.408 | 6.936 | 8.1% |
| 2nd down | 1.079 | 28.047 | 16.3% |
| 3rd down | 0.374 | 2.989 | 8.2% |
| Standard downs | 0.522 | 17.235 | 9.4% |
| Passing downs | 1.159 | 22.025 | 14.7% |
Quinton Martin Jr. · RBUsage 9.9% · Avg PPA 0.004 · Total 0.133
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.004 | 0.133 | 9.9% |
| Pass | -0.406 | -1.625 | 2.3% |
| Rush | 0.057 | 1.757 | 18.6% |
| 1st down | -0.174 | -3.306 | 12.2% |
| 2nd down | 0.096 | 1.242 | 11.2% |
| 3rd down | 0.732 | 2.196 | 4.1% |
| Standard downs | 0.102 | 2.849 | 10.8% |
| Passing downs | -0.388 | -2.716 | 7.5% |
Cam Wallace · RBUsage 8.8% · Avg PPA 0.084 · Total 2.006
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.084 | 2.006 | 8.8% |
| Pass | -0.250 | -0.499 | 1.8% |
| Rush | 0.114 | 2.505 | 14.4% |
| 1st down | 0.528 | 6.869 | 11.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.623 | -3.115 | 5.5% |
| 3rd down | 0.382 | 1.529 | 6.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.092 | 1.843 | 10.0% |
| Passing downs | 0.041 | 0.162 | 5.4% |
Koby Howard · WRUsage 8.7% · Avg PPA 1.500 · Total 27.004
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1.500 | 27.004 | 8.7% |
| Pass | 1.527 | 24.434 | 19.5% |
| Rush | 1.285 | 2.570 | 1.7% |
| 1st down | 1.947 | 15.574 | 8.5% |
| 2nd down | 0.565 | 2.827 | 7.1% |
| 3rd down | 1.721 | 8.603 | 13.2% |
| Standard downs | 1.564 | 21.890 | 8.6% |
| Passing downs | 1.278 | 5.114 | 9.1% |
Alex Manske · QBUsage 8.3% · Avg PPA 0.074 · Total 1.264
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.074 | 1.264 | 8.3% |
| Pass | 0.071 | 0.994 | 17.1% |
| Rush | 0.090 | 0.270 | 2.5% |
| 1st down | -0.163 | -0.980 | 6.4% |
| 2nd down | 0.053 | 0.318 | 8.6% |
| 3rd down | 0.385 | 1.927 | 13.2% |
| Standard downs | -0.076 | -0.832 | 6.8% |
| Passing downs | 0.349 | 2.096 | 13.6% |
Brett Eskildsen · WRUsage 7.5% · Avg PPA 0.069 · Total 2.471
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.069 | 2.471 | 7.5% |
| Pass | 0.185 | 6.471 | 15.2% |
| Rush | -4.000 | -4.000 | 0.4% |
| 1st down | -0.369 | -4.424 | 5.7% |
| 2nd down | 0.140 | 2.524 | 11.3% |
| 3rd down | 0.728 | 4.370 | 6.1% |
| Standard downs | -0.285 | -6.556 | 6.5% |
| Passing downs | 0.694 | 9.026 | 10.1% |
Andrew Rappleyea · TEUsage 7.3% · Avg PPA 0.293 · Total 10.244
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.293 | 10.244 | 7.3% |
| Pass | 0.293 | 10.244 | 15.2% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.036 | 0.328 | 4.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.269 | 2.152 | 5.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.301 | 4.214 | 14.3% |
| Standard downs | 0.447 | 8.935 | 5.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.087 | 1.309 | 11.6% |
Benjamin Brahmer · TEUsage 7.1% · Avg PPA 0.211 · Total 7.169
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.211 | 7.169 | 7.1% |
| Pass | 0.170 | 5.603 | 14.3% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.130 | 1.295 | 4.8% |
| 2nd down | 0.307 | 5.221 | 10.6% |
| 3rd down | 0.562 | 3.373 | 6.1% |
| Standard downs | 0.077 | 1.767 | 6.5% |
| Passing downs | 0.491 | 5.402 | 8.5% |
Connor Barry · QBUsage 3.5% · Avg PPA -0.032 · Total -0.161
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.032 | -0.161 | 3.5% |
| Pass | 0.324 | 0.648 | 3.6% |
| Rush | -0.270 | -0.809 | 3.6% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.177 | -0.354 | 4.2% |
| 3rd down | 0.064 | 0.193 | 11.5% |
| Standard downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Passing downs | -0.032 | -0.161 | 17.2% |
Amar'e Glover · RBUsage 2.9% · Avg PPA -0.612 · Total -1.224
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.612 | -1.224 | 2.9% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.612 | -1.224 | 5.0% |
| 1st down | -0.237 | -0.237 | 3.0% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | -0.986 | -0.986 | 10.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.612 | -1.224 | 3.6% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Zay Robinson · WRUsage 2.7% · Avg PPA 0.674 · Total 8.762
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.674 | 8.762 | 2.7% |
| Pass | 0.674 | 8.762 | 5.6% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.626 | 3.755 | 2.9% |
| 2nd down | 1.185 | 3.554 | 1.9% |
| 3rd down | 0.363 | 1.453 | 4.1% |
| Standard downs | 0.615 | 4.920 | 2.3% |
| Passing downs | 0.768 | 3.841 | 3.9% |
Gabe Burkle · TEUsage 2.5% · Avg PPA 0.168 · Total 1.175
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.168 | 1.175 | 2.5% |
| Pass | 0.168 | 1.175 | 5.2% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.739 | 2.216 | 2.5% |
| 2nd down | -0.419 | -1.257 | 3.1% |
| 3rd down | 0.217 | 0.217 | 1.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.310 | 1.550 | 2.6% |
| Passing downs | -0.187 | -0.375 | 2.4% |
Finn Furmanek · TEUsage 2.1% · Avg PPA -0.108 · Total -0.323
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.108 | -0.323 | 2.1% |
| Pass | -0.108 | -0.323 | 5.5% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.476 | -0.476 | 1.5% |
| 2nd down | 1.283 | 1.283 | 2.1% |
| 3rd down | -1.130 | -1.130 | 3.8% |
| Standard downs | -0.108 | -0.323 | 2.6% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Karon Brookins · WRUsage 2.1% · Avg PPA -0.504 · Total -1.512
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.504 | -1.512 | 2.1% |
| Pass | -0.504 | -1.512 | 5.5% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.930 | -1.859 | 4.2% |
| 3rd down | 0.348 | 0.348 | 3.8% |
| Standard downs | -1.228 | -1.228 | 0.9% |
| Passing downs | -0.142 | -0.283 | 6.9% |
Amarion Jackson · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA 0.505 · Total 1.009
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.505 | 1.009 | 1.4% |
| Pass | 0.196 | 0.196 | 1.8% |
| Rush | 0.813 | 0.813 | 1.2% |
| 1st down | 0.196 | 0.196 | 1.5% |
| 2nd down | 0.813 | 0.813 | 2.1% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.505 | 1.009 | 1.8% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Logan Cunningham · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA -0.080 · Total -0.080
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.080 | -0.080 | 1.4% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.080 | -0.080 | 2.5% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.080 | -0.080 | 4.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.080 | -0.080 | 1.8% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Peyton Falzone · QBUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA -0.322 · Total -0.322
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.322 | -0.322 | 1.4% |
| Pass | -0.322 | -0.322 | 3.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | -0.322 | -0.322 | 10.0% |
| Standard downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Passing downs | -0.322 | -0.322 | 7.1% |
2026 · Through provider Week 8. Each metric uses only published FBS teams with a numeric value. Higher percentile is better; tied values receive the midpoint of their positions, rounded to a whole percentile. Missing values are unranked.
Values and percentiles
| Metric | Value | Percentile | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offense PPA/play | 0.121 | 43rd138 teams | higher |
| Offense success rate | 0.416 | 39th138 teams | higher |
| Offense explosiveness | 1.202 | 36th138 teams | higher |
| Offense pass PPA/play | 0.338 | 76th138 teams | higher |
| Offense rush PPA/play | 0.003 | 18th138 teams | higher |
| Defense PPA/play | 0.060 | 56th138 teams | lower |
| Defense success rate | 0.393 | 63rd138 teams | lower |
| Defense explosiveness | 1.248 | 38th138 teams | lower |
| Defense havoc created | 0.173 | 72nd138 teams | higher |
Passing profile
2026 · CFBD passing family · raw PPACaptured 2026-10-30. Offense: 98% of 226 attempts charted. Average depth of target 9.7 yards (78th percentile of FBS). Yards after catch 5.0 per completion. Completion 63.3%, 7.8 yards per attempt, pass PPA 0.30.
| Side | Actual | Expected | CPOE (pp) | Qualifying / all attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 62.6% | 60.0% | +2.7 | 222 / 226 |
| Defense allowed | 56.3% | 63.1% | -6.9 | 176 / 178 |
Actual and expected use the same qualifying attempts, which can be fewer than all passes. CPOE is their difference in percentage points (pp); higher is better on offense, lower allowed is better on defense. CFBD models FBS-vs-FBS passes, excluding spikes, throwaways, intentional grounding and attempts without air yards. — means unavailable; small samples have fewer than 40 qualifying attempts.
138 teams with at least 40 charted attempts. The highlighted point is Penn State.
Highlighted bars are deep zones. Shares are of located attempts only.
Defense and rushing detail
| Side | Attempts | Charted | ADOT | YAC | Comp % | PPA | CPOE | CPOE att |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 226 | 98% | 9.7 | 5.0 | 63.3% | 0.30 | +2.7 pp | 222 |
| Passing defense | 178 | 99% | 7.8 | 5.0 | 56.7% | -0.04 | -6.9 pp | 176 |
Rushing production
| Side | Attempts | Yards / carry | Success | PPA | Line yards / rush | Second-level yards / rush | Open-field yards / rush | Stuff rate | Power success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 242 | 3.5 | 39.1% | 0.04 | 2.70 | 0.80 | 0.60 | 16.1% | 81.3% |
| Defense allowed | 245 | 5.0 | 43.2% | 0.21 | 2.90 | 1.10 | 1.60 | 19.7% | 63.6% |
Second-level yards are gained 5–10 yards past the line; open-field yards are beyond 10. These are provider per-rush averages, not totals. Power success measures success with two or fewer yards needed. Exact line-metric and power-success denominators are not supplied in this feed.
Rushing sample and attribution
| Side | Yards recorded | Individual | Unattributed | Sacks | Kneels | Team rushes | Multiple carriers | Direction located / eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 239 / 242 | 238 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 228 / 230 · 99.1% |
| Defense allowed | 236 / 245 | 194 | 51 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 227 / 229 · 99.1% |
Counts are attempts. Team totals include sacks, kneels, team-only rushes and unresolved attribution; these categories can overlap and must not be summed. Direction coverage uses ordinary direction-eligible rushes, not all attempts. Missing fields in older captures remain unavailable.
Raw provider values, no opponent adjustment; not model inputs. CFBD metric definitions.
Game-by-game passing and rushing
2026 · Passing CPOE · percentage points. Dashed line: season +2.7 pp. 7 of 7 captured games have this metric. Missing observations break the line.
CPOE is completion percentage over expected on qualifying FBS-vs-FBS attempts; positive means more completions than expected. PPA is raw provider PPA. These are game observations, not opponent-adjusted forecasts. P labels postseason weeks.
Game log and attempt coverage
| Week | Opponent | Pass att | CPOE att | Comp %* | Expected %* | CPOE | ADOT | Pass PPA | Rush att | Rush yds/carry | Rush PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | Marshall | 27 | 26 | 73.1% | 61.6% | +11.5 pp | 8.1 | 0.98 | 45 | 3.6 | 0.11 |
| W2 | Temple | 27 | 27 | 77.8% | 59.7% | +18.1 pp | 10.1 | 0.60 | 37 | 2.2 | -0.04 |
| W3 | Buffalo | 26 | 24 | 54.2% | 57.0% | -2.8 pp | 10.3 | 0.69 | 41 | 7.4 | 0.27 |
| W4 | Wisconsin | 29 | 29 | 41.4% | 54.8% | -13.4 pp | 14.1 | -0.38 | 36 | 3.3 | 0.05 |
| W5 | Northwestern | 41 | 40 | 62.5% | 61.6% | +0.9 pp | 9.2 | 0.07 | 22 | 2.2 | -0.11 |
| W6 | USC | 32 | 32 | 65.6% | 61.4% | +4.3 pp | 8.0 | 0.40 | 31 | 2.2 | -0.03 |
| W7 | Michigan | 44 | 44 | 63.6% | 61.6% | +2.0 pp | 9.0 | 0.06 | 30 | 2.2 | -0.10 |
*Completion and expected rates use the same CPOE-eligible attempts. ADOT uses available air-yard attempts; a game needs at least one. No missing family is filled with the other family’s data.
Punting and returns
2026 season to date · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30T11:16:37.416814+00:00. Descriptive totals, including postseason when present.
Our punts
31 punts · 41.1 gross yards/punt · 36.6 net yards/punt
5 inside the 20 · 4 touchbacks · 0 blocked
Known gross yards: 31/31 punts. Known net yards: 24/31 punts.
Our punt returns
18 returns · 10.6 yards/return · 0 touchdowns
0 muffs · 0 opponent punts blocked
Known return yards: 18/18 returns. Return totals include team-only and unattributed plays.
Recent games
| Game | Punts | Gross yd/punt | Net yd/punt | Known net yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 7 · Michigan | 5 | 38.0 | 34.7 | 3/5 |
| Week 6 · USC | 3 | 42.0 | 32.5 | 2/3 |
| Week 5 · Northwestern | 7 | 41.1 | 34.6 | 7/7 |
| Week 4 · Wisconsin | 7 | 42.7 | 42.7 | 7/7 |
| Week 3 · Buffalo | 4 | 40.5 | 28.5 | 2/4 |