Maybe Matt Campbell’s Formula Is Working as Penn State Finds Its Way

A streak changes the mood

Penn State’s win over Minnesota at rainy Beaver Stadium has shifted attention from its midseason struggles to the possibility of a stronger finish. The Nittany Lions have won three in a row after dropping four consecutive Big Ten games.

The next three opponents mentioned in the article—Purdue, Washington and Minnesota—are not considered among the conference’s strongest teams. Even so, the victories have improved Penn State’s position compared with those teams, and Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck praised the Nittany Lions’ recent play.

Campbell backs his approach

After the 42-14 victory, Campbell said he had not lost faith in what the team could become. He described a difficult process for players and coaches and said they would not take shortcuts or pursue winning at all costs.

Campbell said the group had a chance to make a powerful statement. Fleck pointed to turnovers as a key difference, saying Penn State wins when it avoids them and loses when it commits them; the Nittany Lions did not turn the ball over against Minnesota.

History offers some hope

Penn State has improved its record after a seven-, eight- or nine-win season in seven of the last nine instances, excluding the heaviest NCAA-sanctioned years, according to the article. If the Nittany Lions win their final two games, they would finish the regular season with eight victories.

The program has had notable rebounds: its 2015 season preceded a Big Ten Championship in 2016, and a four-win 2004 campaign came before a near-perfect 2005. An injury-filled 2021 season was followed by a Rose Bowl win in 2022.

Questions remain ahead

A turnaround is not assured. Penn State still has to address several problems, including who will start at quarterback, and its schedule includes Michigan, Indiana and Oregon. The article notes that seasons have varied, including back-to-back 9-4 records in 2006 and 2007 and a stretch from 2012 through 2015 in which Penn State did not win more than eight games. Still, the three-game streak gives the team a chance to build on its late-season progress; a nine-win finish would be a solid result given how the season began.