The rising coaching star who turned Iowa State into a powerhouse
In short: From a defensive lineman at Mount Union to the head coach at Penn State, Matt Campbell has built a career defined by historic breakthroughs. His tenure at Iowa State saw the program achieve milestones untouched in over a century, proving his ability to transform established programs into championship contenders.
Matt Campbell's ascent in college football is marked by a series of strategic decisions and historic successes. After playing defensive line at the University of Mount Union between 1999 and 2002, he began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University. His early career included stints as an offensive coordinator at Mount Union and a run game coordinator at Toledo, where he became the youngest head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision at age 32. Before his success at Toledo, he served as an offensive line coach. He also held roles as an offensive coordinator and an assistant at several institutions.
At Iowa State University, Campbell orchestrated a dramatic turnaround. He led the Cyclones to their first regular-season first-place finish in the Big 12 in 119 years during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. This era also saw the program's first major-bowl appearance at the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, where they defeated No. 25 Oregon 34–17, resulting in the highest final ranking in school history. His leadership helped the team secure a victory in the Liberty Bowl against the Memphis Tigers. This success was part of a notable eight-five season.
Campbell's impact at Iowa State culminated in 2024, when he became the school's winningest coach, surpassing Dan McCarney. That same year, the program reached 11 wins for the first time ever, winning the Pop-Tarts Bowl against No. 15 Miami (FL) with a 42–41 victory. Following these achievements, Campbell reached his 100th career victory in August 2025 and was announced as the next head coach at Pennsylvania State University in December 2025, replacing James Franklin. He achieved this milestone during a shutout win against Houston. This victory also helped the team secure its best start since 1938.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Matt Campbell (American football coach)
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