Penn State left Ann Arbor with more than a loss. It left with a fan base sounding like it had run out of patience, after a 21-18 defeat to Michigan dropped the Nittany Lions to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten.
The frustration lands hard because of where this program was not long ago. Just 21 months ago, Penn State was in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff and only eight minutes from a shot at the national title. Now the mood around the team has turned bleak, with supporters treating the season as if it has already slipped away.
There was a stretch in this one where it looked as if Penn State might finally have the kind of breakthrough performance it needed. The defense forced Michigan to pull starting quarterback Bryce Underwood and turn to Tommy Carr.
But the change didn’t slow the Wolverines down. Carr handled the moment, guiding back-to-back scoring drives in the third quarter that put Michigan up 14-3, a lead it never surrendered.
Penn State had its own issues on the other side of the ball. Rocco Becht threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the second half, and those mistakes helped sink the Nittany Lions as the game got away from them.
The bigger picture is what has fans spiraling. Penn State came into the season ranked in the preseason top 25, but it is now unranked and one of only three Big Ten teams without an in-conference win. The move away from James Franklin has not produced the reset many hoped for, and the rough start to the Matt Campbell era has only made the anger louder.
“Ballgame. This program is dead,” Barstool Penn State wrote on X.
“Penn State’s program is dead. They fired a coach who got them to the semi’s for this,” another user lamented,
“This is embarrassing. In today’s era of college football, with the salaries these coaches command, the money invested in NIL rosters, and the resources available, there is simply no excuse for looking this uncompetitive and unprepared,” a third wrote.
If anyone was hoping for a quarterback change to offer a reset, that’s not coming either. Campbell said after the game that Becht will stay in the starting role.
“He’s got to be better and he will continue to grow and be better. But there was never a consideration (to benching him),” Campbell said after the game.
Penn State’s next chance to regroup comes with a bye week, then a home game against Purdue.
In Other News...
Michigans Quarterback Crisis Just Put A Freshman In A Massive Spot
Tommy Carr was already a name Michigan fans knew well before he ever took a college snap, but Week 7 could put the true freshman squarely in the middle of the spotlight. With the starting quarterback benched, Carr is expected to see significant snaps against Penn State, a daunting stage for any newcomer, especially one who is still early in his first season.
A Michigan native and four-star recruit, Carr flipped his commitment from Miami (OH) to the Wolverines and arrived with plenty of pedigree attached to his name. He is the grandson of former Michigan safety Tom Curtis and former head coach Lloyd Carr, both College Football Hall of Fame inductees, and now the program may need him sooner than planned as it tries to steady the position. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Reentered The Polls Conversation At A Brutal Time
Michigans win over Penn State was enough to get the Wolverines back into the conversation, even if not back into the rankings themselves. In the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, Michigan picked up 10 votes but remained on the outside looking in, a reminder that one solid result can at least reopen the door even when the season has already taken its share of bruises.
The timing, though, could hardly be more awkward. Ohio State surged to No. 2 after taking down Indiana, which slid to No. 6, while Miami stayed firmly at No. 1 at 6-0, leaving very little room for movement above Michigan. For the Wolverines, the Penn State win created momentum, but the path back into the poll still looks crowded and unforgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans First Big Ten Win Just Sparked A Quarterback Debate
Michigans first Big Ten win under coach Kyle Whittingham came with a clear shift at halftime, when Tommy Carr took over at quarterback and the offense settled into a more reliable rhythm. The Wolverines leaned on the ground game from there, outrushing Penn State by a wide margin while three different backs reached the end zone on the ground and the defense kept setting the table with takeaways.
Bryce Underwoods rough afternoon, highlighted by two interceptions before the switch, turned the spotlight right back onto Michigans quarterback situation even after the win. The defense finished with three turnovers, including two from Chris Bracy, and the Wolverines turned those short fields into 21 points, but the larger question now is whether the change at quarterback becomes more than just a game-day adjustment. [Read more 🡒]