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USA Today
28-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 4-Star Quarterback Flips From Penn State to SEC School
Yet another major misstep has befallen the Nittany Lions in their 2026 recruiting cycle. 4-star QB Peyton Falzone, a Pennsylvania guy who has worked with Penn State staff multiple times and has visited then a total of 14 times, flipped his pledge to the Auburn Tigers on Thursday. A lifelong Penn State fan, Falzone was the No. 18 quarterback in the class and the sixth ranked athlete from Pennsylvania. This shocking news comes just days after the Nittany Lions missed out on several in-state recruits to fellow blueblood and potential recruiting rival Notre Dame. The most stunning aspect of Falzone's sudden change of plans stems from the fact that he grew up a Nittany Lions fan himself and had really impressed coaches amongst the staff with his talents. He had committed to them April 12th and had been to multiple Penn State specific camp workouts, including their White Out camp, where he exclusively worked with QB coach Danny O'Brien. What might have dissuaded the 4-star QB from fully committing to the Nittany Lions may have been how they chose to approach him. They did not officially treat him as a recruit of interest until the spring. Add in the fact that California four-star Troy Kuhn ins already amongst the class's midst and you can definitely explain Falzone's decision despite his heavy ties to the state and program. Despite making recent strides in the past few days in terms of recruitment, Penn State find themselves with an in-state conundrum that they have not yet been able to address in this recruiting cycle. Falzone is their latest reminder of their consequent failures.
NBC Sports
28-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Looking ahead to the QB dominoes that still need to fall in the 2026 class
There was a shocking quarterback flip on Thursday when four-star Peyton Falzone flipped from Penn State to Auburn. With that consideration, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney looks at the remaining quarterback dominoes and what could be ahead. MORE: Money matters but relationships still crucial for quarterbacks CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State At the Elite 11, Duckworth talked highly about both Auburn and South Carolina but there was definitely a feeling that the Gamecocks have emerged as perhaps the program to beat again in his recruitment. The four-star quarterback from Jackson, Ala., had already been committed to the Gamecocks and never burned any bridges there as he loves coach Shane Beamer and has grown a relationship with new OC Mike Shula. He's also sat down with LaNorris Sellers to break down how he'd be used in the offense with strengths and weaknesses. Falzone's flip to Auburn could have only solidified even more Duckworth's lean to South Carolina. At the Rivals Five-Star, Cherry was asked about other schools coming after him and he mentioned Auburn and LSU as two to watch. There was also a sense that the four-star quarterback from Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School would be open to hearing from more SEC programs. With Falzone flipping to the Tigers, Auburn might have made its move. But LSU missed on four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley (who chose Oklahoma) and so the Tigers could make it interesting if they made a push on Cherry, soon. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LOUISVILLE FANS AT Fahey has been intentionally deliberate throughout his recruitment and now he can see exactly where things stand with quarterbacks around the country. Stanford and Indiana had been his top two with the Hoosiers having a slight lead but they just flipped three-star Cash Herrera from Iowa. Fahey visited Ohio State over the weekend and the Buckeyes offered so that could only be a matter of timing at this point. Stanford is still very much involved but playing in the Big Ten seems like a bigger draw, plus Ohio State has been a dream school. There seemed to be some dismissal of Ponatoski's recent visit to Kentucky – like he wasn't seriously considering the Wildcats – but that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, it might even be more true after two of his other favorites received commitments in Jett Thomalla to Alabama and Bryson Beaver to Oregon. The four-star quarterback from Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller is also serious weighing his MLB Draft stock so while his intention is to play college football, there is a chance that Ponatoski heads right to play pro baseball so coaches have to factor that into their calculus. The four-star quarterback from Downey, Calif., is committing on Friday and is not tipping his hand whether it's Arizona or UCLA. The Wildcats have been involved for much longer. He sees an early opportunity there and he loves the coaching staff, especially position coach Seth Doege. There are also some rumors that those close to him really like Arizona as well. But UCLA was a dream school growing up. It's right down the road from Downey. And getting an opportunity to play in the Big Ten could be a massive draw. This is a close one heading down the stretch to decision time.
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn football flips 2026 QB Peyton Falzone from Penn State
Peyton Falzone switched his commitment from Auburn to Penn State on Thursday in a surprising move. Auburn football's recruiting efforts for the 2026 cycle are starting to heat up after a few weeks of disappointment. Head coach Hugh Freeze dipped into his old bag of tricks to land the commitment of four-star 2026 quarterback Peyton Falzone, flipping him from Penn State. The move comes before the recruiting dead period, which gives the Tigers momentum to land several other key targets as the summer hits a dry point. If Falzone seems unfamiliar to you, you are not alone. Auburn entered his recruitment recently, extending an offer to him on June 2, and has worked quickly to sway him away from his home-state school, Penn State. After announcing the switch from the Nittany Lions to the Tigers, Falzone told 247Sports' Tom Loy that Auburn has plenty of features that drew him in. "Auburn is a place full of tradition," Falzone said in an interview with 247Sports. "My family and I have spent a lot of time discussing the school and its blend of elite football and high-level academics. It has it all. I'm blessed to be able to play at a school with a strong tradition of faith and family running throughout the university and the community. All of that is very important to us. I can't wait to be there. War Eagle." Falzone recently competed in the Elite 11 finals, where he showcased skills that wowed recruiting experts. "It's hard to find a more dynamic talent than Falzone," On3's Thomas Frank Carr wrote of Falzone. "His hands measure in at 11 inches and engulf the football when he throws. Hands that size give a quarterback elite control of the ball from a fumbling standpoint and allow for a sure grip in any weather. While he's emphatic that he's a quarterback, it's still impressive to watch Falzone casually pluck errant passes out of the air with one hand while waiting in line." Falzone is the No. 4 player from Pennsylvania for the 2026 class, and is the No. 11 quarterback in the cycle, ranking above several key names such as Notre Dame commit Noah Grubbs and Alabama pledge Jett Thomalla. The 6-4, 200-pound product of Nazareth High School is a strong dual-threat quarterback who passed for over 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns last season while rushing for an additional 420 yards and five scores as an 11th grader at Nazareth. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Penn State quarterback commit flips to Auburn in shocking move
Penn State's 2026 recruiting class took a major hit on Thursday afternoon. Four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone, who had been committed to the Nittany Lions since April, flipped to Auburn, according to On3's Hayes Fawcett. The Tigers extended a late offer on June 2 after Falzone was already committed, but he never took an official visit, making this an unexpected move. Falzone, a Nazareth, Pennsylvania, native, ranks as the No. 6 recruit in the state and was expected to be a key piece of the 2026 class. It's not the first time in recent history a Pennsylvania quarterback has scorned Penn State for a southern team called the Tigers - class of 2025 quarterback Matt Zollers, who ranked as the No. 2 recruit in Pennsylvania, committed to Missouri, while former Nittany Lion Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri this offseason. Following the flip, Penn State is down to just one quarterback in the class, 4-star Troy Huhn out of California who ranks slightly lower than Falzone per the 247Sports composite rankings. It's unclear whether the Nittany Lions intend to pursue a second quarterback to fill Falzone's absence, but many of the top recruits are already spoken for this late in the cycle.
USA Today
13-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Penn State's Class of 2026 ranking gets bump from latest four-star commitment
Penn State's Class of 2026 ranking gets bump from latest four-star commitment Penn State continues to dominate the state on the recruiting trail, and it is paying off in the Class of 2026 recruiting rankings. In its latest effort to dominate the state on the recruiting trail, Penn State picked up a commitment from four-star quarterback Payton Falzone over the weekend. Falzone joins Penn State's Class of 2026 and is the second quarterback commitment on the board for the Nittany Lions in the recruiting cycle. So what does the latest commitment mean for Penn State's recruiting ranking among its peers? Now with 10 commitments on the board for the Class of 2026, Penn State's recruiting class has moved up to no. 6 in the updated composite rankings from 247Sports. Penn State's recruiting class currently sits third among big Ten schools behind USC (no. 1 nationally) and Ohio State (no. 3 nationally). On3 currently ranks Penn State as a top-10 class, although the cumulative ranking comes in a few spots lower at no. 9. The Nittany Lions are fourth among Big Ten schools on this updated list with Oregon (no. 4 nationally) ranking ahead of Penn State on On3's ranking. USC (no. 2 nationally) and Ohio State (no. 3 nationally) also stay ahead of Penn State. The updated team ranking list from Rivals is a bit less optimistic about Penn State's current recruiting haul. Rivals ranks Penn State at no. 14 in the Class of 2026 rankings at the moment, and Penn State is ranked fourth among Big Ten programs behind USC (no. 1 nationally), Ohio State (no. 5 nationally), and Oregon (no. 6 nationally). Penn State is one spot ahead of Illinois in the Rivals Class of 2026 rankings. It would appear James Frankklin is fulfilling his mission of dominating the state in recruiting in the Class of 2026. Penn State has received commitments from five players ranked in the top-10 in Pennsylvania; safety Matt Sieg (McDonald, Pa), offensive tackle Kevin Brown (Harrisburg, Pa), Falzone (Nazareth, Pa), running back Messiah Mickens (Harrisburg, Pa), and athlete David Davis (Pittsburgh, Pa). There could be one more to add with the state's top-ranked player Joey O'Brien from La Salle in Glenside, Pa yet to commit. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.
