Notre Dame & Michigan TORCH Penn State on the 2026 Recruiting Trail

Penn State just suffered one of the most lopsided recruiting stretches in recent memory — but the class isn’t dead yet.

In this Locked On Crossover with recruiting expert Brian Smith, Zach Seyko breaks down:

- Why Notre Dame and Michigan combined to take 10+ mutual targets

- How NIL, positional stacking, and roster retention shaped PSU’s strategy

- Why Jackson Ford and Tyson Harley are big-time bounce-back wins

- The looming impact of 2027 — and the current stability in PSU’s class

- How retention (not just commitments) is Penn State’s underrated recruiting strength

- There’s still time for Penn State to flip key recruits and finish in the top 15. The question is: will they?

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00:00 – Intro

01:10 – Penn State’s 10-Loss Recruiting Stretch, Explained

01:55 – Notre Dame & Michigan Targeted PSU’s Board — and Won

03:45 – NIL Gaps + Roster Focus: Did PSU Sacrifice 2026 for 2025?

07:15 – Sponsor Read

09:10 – The 2027 Concern: Will This Bleed Into Next Cycle?

12:30 – Pierce Peterson, Jackson Ford, Tyson Harley = PSU Fights Back

16:45 – What’s a Realistic Finish for PSU’s 2026 Class?

18:00 – Can Carter Meadows or a Flip Save This Class?

20:15 – The Value of Retention: Why PSU Avoids Decommit Chaos

22:00 – Final Thoughts: Top 15 Still Doable — But It’s a Fight