Penn State is dipping its toe back into the pool of College Football Playoff expectations, which might surface some unpleasant flashbacks to last season. The playoff predictions have plenty to do with the Nittany Lions' friendly 2026 schedule , with the roster acting as a secondary piece to the plan. Yet in his first five months as Penn State's football coach, Matt Campbell quietly and deliberately put together a competitive roster that could capitalize on that schedule and not merely benefit from it. Here's why Campbell's 2026 Nittany Lions roster might be flying under the radar. The Iowa State offense connection Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen runs with the ball during the Penn State Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images Yes, Campbell opened himself to the "Penn State Nittany Cyclones" and "East Iowa State" jokes by bringing about a quarter of his Iowa State roster to State College.…