Report: Penn State close to hiring Iowa State's Campbell as coach

Penn State is working on a deal to hire Iowa State's Matt Campbell as head coach, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

The length of the contract and compensation details are still being negotiated, Thamel reports.

Campbell has been the head coach of the Cyclones for the last 10 years, posting a 72-55 record. Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 and has conducted a lengthy search for his replacement. Days ago, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake signed a long-term extension after the Nittany Lions attempted to hire him.

Franklin has taken the head coaching job at Virginia Tech. His associate head coach at Penn State, Terry Smith, has gone 3-3 as the Nittany Lions' interim boss.

Campbell, 46, led Iowa State to a bowl game in eight of the last nine seasons. He had his best year in 2024, going 11-3 and earning a spot in the Big 12 title game. He previously served as Toledo's head coach for five seasons, going 35-15.

Partly because Franklin brought many of his recruits to Virginia Tech, Penn State has struggled to recruit for the 2026 class. The Nittany Lions currently have two commits signed and rank 155th, according to 247Sports.

Campbell heads to Penn State with a 107-70 overall record as a head coach. He attracted other outside interest during his Iowa State tenure, including from the New York Jets, and he was a finalist for the USC coaching job before the Trojans hired Lincoln Riley.