Penn Statefired James Franklin on Oct. 12, and remains the biggest pony left in this year's college football coaching carousel. WhileFranklin was quick to find a new home, Penn State is still searching.
The best move on the market has been to be linked with the Penn State job. It usually meant good news for your bank account. Western PennsylvanianCurt Cignetti(Indiana), PSU alumMatt Rhule(Nebraska),Eli Drinkwitz(Missouri),Clark Lea(Vanderbilt) and Kalani Sitake (BYU) all had their names mentioned with the opening. All got new deals.
TheSEC Gone Wildhas dominated the coaching cycle, leaving State College out in the cold... so far. But there may be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Toppmeyer:Penn State, swallow your pride and call Dan Mullen to save this disaster
CFB coaches on the move:Carousel in overdrive, keep up with hirings, firings
Here's the latest on the Penn State coaching search:
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Penn State finalizing agreement with Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, report
Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger reportedFriday afternoon that Penn State andIowa Statecoach Matt Campbell are "in the final stages of negotiations" that would bring the Cyclones coach to Happy Valley. Per Dellenger: "Penn State's Board of Trustees must provide at least 48 hours of public notice before taking action. There is a slot reserved for next Monday-Wednesday for the committee with oversight on the issue."
HAYES:Penn State must hire Matt Campbell to avoid blowing CFB coaching carousel
YIKES:Iowa State fans' anxiety builds amid Matt Campbell chatter
ESPN's Pete Thamelfollowed up Dellenger's initial report saying Campbell and Penn State "are working toward a deal for him to become the next coach at Penn State. There's multiple steps needed to finalize, including agreeing to terms and formal approval of compensation."
Our long nightmare may soon be over.
Campbell has compiled a 72-55 record at Iowa State for an outstanding .567 winning percentage. He's turned the Cyclones into a consistent winner, no small feat for a program lacking consistent success before he arrived.
Matt Campbell buyout to leave Iowa State: How much would he owe?
The Des Moines Register'sEugene Rapay reported in Augustthat if Campbell leaves and accepts a Division I college football coaching job elsewhere,Iowa Stateis entitled to a $2 million buyout.
Penn State turns attention to Iowa State's Matt Campbell
According tomultiple reportson the evening of Thursday, Dec. 4, Penn State has turned the attention of its coaching search to Iowa State's Matt Campbell. The Cyclones' coach since 2016, Campbell has a career 72-55 record in Ames, including a career-best 11-3 mark in 2024.
Jeff Brohm says no to Penn State; Brian Daboll an option
Pat Forde of SI.com reportedWednesday afternoon Louisville coach Jeff Brohm "was presented with terms of a deal by Penn State. Agreeing to leave on the same day Brohm was signing a new freshman class with Louisville was not an attractive option."
Forde also reported formerNew York Giantscoach Brian Daboll may be in play for Penn State. Daboll was fired by the Giants after going 20-40-1 in four seasons. Most of Daboll's coaching career has been in the NFL, last coaching in college in 2017 as Alabama's offensive coordinator.
Signing day disaster for Penn State football
The early signing period for college football began Wednesday... and Penn State, still coachless,has signed just two playersas of 3:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Meanwhile, James Franklin is building a top-25 class at Virginia Tech, and serving Crumbl cookies. IYKYK.
Coincidental dessert choice at the#Hokies' signing day ceremony put on today by James Franklin?pic.twitter.com/eQKPQ9CsbB
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT)December 3, 2025
Kalani Sitake to stay at BYU
It's hard to stray away from home.
After a great deal of hype, Sitake is reportedly staying in Provo,per Pete Thamel.As the Cougars prepare for a Big 12 championship bout with Texas Tech and a possible playoff run, Sitake is in-line to get a big extension after a successful season, making him just the latest coach to use Penn State interest as leverage.
BYU optimistic it can keep Kalani Sitake
As much as Penn State may want Kalani Sitake as its next coach, his current employer isn't letting him leave without a fight.
According to a report on Tuesday, Dec. 2 from CBS Sports, BYU is "working hard" to try to keep Sitake, adding that "there's some optimism at the moment" at BYU that it might be able to prevent him from going to Penn State. The report described it as a "fluid situation."
From me and@chris_hummer, per@CBSSportssources: BYU is working hard to try to keep head coach and current Penn State target Kalani Sitake and there's some optimism at the moment on the BYU side that they may be able to keep him.Fluid situation.pic.twitter.com/sFN5SixdUw
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz)December 2, 2025
Crumbl Cookie co-founder wants to help BYU keep Kalani Sitake
That's how the cookie crumbles apparently for a Penn State coaching search. Kalani Sitake's name popped up prominently in the PSU search on Monday. That caused BYU booster and fan Jason McGowan, the co-founder of Crumbl Cookie, to take to social media. "Some people are not replaceable. Sounds like it is time for me to get off the sidelines and get to work,"McGowan posted.
He followed that post on X with another, imploring Cougars fans to let Sitake feel the love.
Why do you love Kalani?What does it mean to you to have@kalanifsitakeas our head coach at BYU?Right now is the moment to let Kalani feel the love, respect, and gratitude of Cougar Nation. He has given everything to this program. Let's show him how much he means to all of…
— Jason McGowan (@jasonmcgowan)December 2, 2025
BYU's Kalani Sitake 'focus' of Penn State job
ADec. 1 report from ESPN's Pete Thamelsays BYU coach Kalani Sitake is "the focus" of Penn State's search.
Sitake has built the Cougars into one of the Big 12's premier programs. The 50-year-old coach and BYU alum has the school in Saturday's Big 12 Championship game with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.
Sources: BYU coach Kalani Sitake is the focus of Penn State's head coaching search. No deal has been signed, as the sides continue discussions. The sides have met, and there's mutual interest. On3 reported Sitake as the target earlier today.pic.twitter.com/xbUUO4mxct
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel)December 2, 2025
Sitake was asked, on Monday, about his possible connection to the Penn State job:
"This is a great distraction to have, let's be honest," Sitake said,according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "I'll address it with the team. … But they are used to me saying, 'Hey, this is a good sign that things are going well for us.' But I will say that this isn't about me.
"I'm all about the Big 12 championship and keeping our team focused on that. We're going to avoid all of the distractions."
Potential Penn State target Bob Chesney hired at UCLA
Bob Chesney was another name loosely linked to the Penn State job. But theJames Madisoncoach isheaded west to coach UCLA.
Brian Daboll, Kalani Sitake prediction favorites for Penn State job
BYU coach Kalani Sitake and recently-fired New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll are Monday's favorites to become the next PSU leader, according toKalshi,the federally regulated exchange and prediction market.
Players advocate for Terry Smith to get Penn State job
Interim coach Terry Smith went 3-3 after Franklin's dismissal as theNittany Lionsclawed their way back to bowl eligibility. PSU players lobbied for Smith to get the job permanently.
After the Nov. 22 win over Nebraska, Smith seemed to stake a claim for the job during a postgame on-field interview while players behind him held signs that read "Hire Terry Smith" and fans chanted his name.
"The emotion is I love my guys. I love my locker room, and you see how hard my guys play," Smith said. "These guys play inspired football. They're motivated. And we finished once again tonight... These guys listen to me. They trust me. And they're going out there playing great football.
"It's my locker room."
What about Josh Heupel for Penn State?
Tennessee fans mocked USA TODAY columnist Blake Toppmeyer whenhe suggested Josh Heupel swap Knoxville for Happy Valleyand maybe get ahead of a growing frustration with some sects of Vols fans. In those same predictive markets, Heupel was sitting at 18% Not a favorite. But nothing to laugh at either.
"As Heupel's stock absorbs a hit in Tennessee, candidates with his credentials remain in short supply within this wild coaching carousel," Toppmeyer wrote in early November. "He'd be a boon for Penn State. Now's his time to strike, while his resume remains catchy.
"Before Heupel's Tennessee revival, Franklin staged one at Penn State. Franklin stayed too long. The posse got him.
"Exiting Tennessee for Penn State would be a lateral move, but it's a move with an easier path to the playoff. That's what this sport is now, for programs like Penn State or Tennessee: Playoff or bust."
York Daily Record Penn State reporter Frank Bodani contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Penn State football close to hiring Matt Campbell as new head coach
