Story byAssociated PressSat, December 6, 2025 at 5:46 AM UTC·4 min readMatt Campbell was hired as Penn State’s coach on Friday night, ending a two-month search by the Nittany Lions to find James Franklin’s successor. The 46-year-old Campbell heads to Happy Valley after going 72-55 in 10 seasons at Iowa State to become the winningest coach in the history of that program. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTerms of Campbell’s contract were not released, pending approval by a committee of the school’s Board of Trustees. That committee is scheduled to meet on Monday, after which Campbell will be introduced.“Coach Campbell is, without a doubt, the right leader at the right time for Penn State football,” athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement. “He is a stellar coach with a proven track record of success and his values, character and approach to leading student-athletes to success on and off the field align perfectly with the traditions and values of Penn State.”Penn State advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season and began this season ranked No.