No. 16 Penn State football overcame a sluggish opening stretch to defeat Temple 27-9 on Saturday, Sept. 12, in Philadelphia, keeping the Nittany Lions unbeaten under new head coach Matt Campbell. Quarterback Rocco Becht threw three touchdown passes as Penn State improved to 2-0 before returning home for its final nonconference game.
Rocco Becht Powers Penn State Offense
Becht delivered the most important offensive performance of Penn State's afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.
The quarterback completed 21 of 27 passes for 268 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His efficiency helped the Nittany Lions recover after Temple kept the game close during the first half.
Tight end Benjamin Brahmer became Becht's leading target, catching five passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Chase Sowell added five receptions for 58 yards and another score, while Koby Howard produced 68 receiving yards on three catches.
Penn State finished with 416 total yards and averaged 6.8 yards per play.
The passing game's effectiveness was particularly important because the Nittany Lions did not consistently turn early drives into touchdowns.
Temple Frustrates Nittany Lions Early
Penn State entered the game as the clear favorite but encountered considerably more resistance than it had during its season opener.
Neither team scored in the first quarter, and Temple briefly took a 3-0 advantage early in the second. Penn State struggled to capitalize on several opportunities near the end zone, allowing the Owls to remain within one possession for much of the first half.
A 31-yard field goal finally put the Nittany Lions on the scoreboard before Becht connected with Brahmer for a 23-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining before halftime.
That late score gave Penn State a 10-3 advantage and changed the complexion of the game entering the break.
Temple's offense found some success on the ground but struggled to generate enough explosive passing plays to keep pace once Penn State began converting its opportunities.
Nittany Lions Pull Away After Halftime
Penn State created separation in the third quarter.
Becht connected with Sowell for a 16-yard touchdown midway through the period, extending the advantage to 17-3. A 39-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the quarter pushed the margin to 17 points.
Brahmer then caught his second touchdown of the afternoon in the fourth quarter, taking another 23-yard Becht pass into the end zone.
Temple scored its only touchdown with two minutes remaining, when backup quarterback Ajani Sheppard completed a 75-yard drive with a three-yard rushing score. The attempted two-point conversion failed, leaving the final margin at 27-9.
Penn State committed no turnovers and limited the Owls to 283 total yards.
Matt Campbell Era Starts With Consecutive Wins
The result gives Campbell a 2-0 start in his first season leading Penn State.
The Nittany Lions opened the 2026 campaign with a dominant 45-0 victory over Marshall at Beaver Stadium. Saturday's performance was less comfortable, but it offered a different test for a program attempting to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season.
Penn State entered the year ranked No. 18 and moved to No. 16 after its opening victory.
The Temple game also marked the team's first road contest under Campbell. Although the offense needed time to settle, Penn State controlled the second half and avoided the mistakes that could have allowed the Owls to threaten an upset.
Penn State Returns Home to Face Buffalo
Penn State's attention now shifts to Buffalo, which visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET.
That matchup will complete the Nittany Lions' nonconference schedule before Big Ten play begins.
Wisconsin visits Penn State on Sept. 26, followed by a Friday night road game at Northwestern on Oct. 2. Later October games against USC and Michigan will provide a clearer measure of Penn State's position in the Big Ten race.
For now, Campbell's team has accomplished its first objective. Penn State is 2-0 after combining a dominant opening-week shutout with a more demanding road victory, while Becht's three-touchdown performance against Temple provides another encouraging sign as the schedule becomes more difficult.
