Minnesota arrives at Beaver Stadium with a résumé that says it’s been through the wringer.
The Golden Gophers are 5-4 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play, and the road to Saturday night’s matchup with Penn State has already run through a tough slate. Minnesota has taken on Mississippi State outside the conference and has also seen Washington, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and UCLA in league play.
Now P.J. Fleck’s group gets another major test against a Penn State team sitting at 5-4 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions have found some momentum by beating Purdue and Washington in back-to-back weeks.
The game may come down to the trenches and the hidden-yardage battle.
On Penn State’s offensive line, Texas State transfer Brock Riker has settled in well at center, while right tackle Anthony Donkoh has been one of the team’s best players. Left tackle Malachi Goodman was dealing with an undisclosed injury before the Washington game, and Garrett Sexton stepped in for him in the second half.
Minnesota brings its own veteran anchor up front in Greg Johnson, who has become one of the Big Ten’s better interior linemen. Now playing center, Johnson has 37 career starts.
Penn State’s pass rush has been steady rather than overwhelming. The Lions have only 11 sacks in nine games, though linebacker Tony Rojas has accounted for five of them.
Edge rushers Yvan Kemajou, Alexander McPherson and Ike Ezeogu each have four quarterback pressures, and Kemajou has added 2.5 sacks. Converted linebacker Caleb Bacon has chipped in five tackles for loss, a sack and three quarterback pressures.
Minnesota’s defensive front brings the more disruptive profile. Anthony Smith, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2025, has been a focal point for opponents all season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Smith has 34 quarterback hurries in 2026. TJ Bush Jr. has also been a problem for offenses, posting eight tackles for loss, six sacks and three quarterback hurries.
Special teams could swing things too.
Penn State kicker Ryan Barker has made 12 of 16 field-goal tries, and Zay Robinson is averaging 10 yards on 29 punt returns.
Minnesota has gotten standout production from Luke Drzewiecki, who has been named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week three times this season. He’s 17 of 19 on field goals and drilled a 60-yarder in the Gophers’ overtime loss at Indiana. Javon Tracy has also made his mark by returning two punts for touchdowns.
The matchup breakdown tilts Minnesota at defensive line, Penn State at wide receiver and tight end, and leaves running back, offensive line, linebackers and coaching as even.
In Other News...
Penn State Wrestling Suddenly Has A Braeden Davis Problem
Braeden Davis is suddenly missing from Penn States wrestling roster just as the season is about to get underway, and the timing makes the situation hard to ignore. A wrestler who has already carved out a significant place in the program, Davis won a Big Ten title and earned All-American honors during his time in Happy Valley, making his absence a notable development for a team that usually enters the year with championship expectations.
What remains unclear is whether this is a short-term change or something more lasting, and Penn State officials have not commented on his status. Davis also dealt with legal issues in 2025, adding another layer to a situation that now leaves more questions than answers for a program that rarely has to deal with uncertainty this close to the start of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces One Brutal Reality In Its Quarterback Search
The quarterback market in college football has moved into a different stratosphere, and Penn State is staring at that reality as it tries to sort out its next starter. According to a report by On3, top-tier quarterbacks are now expected to command between $4 million and $7 million a season through NIL deals, a range that underscores how expensive the position has become for programs trying to reload quickly.
For Penn State, the timing makes the challenge even sharper. Rocco Becht is set to depart, leaving Alex Manske as an unproven option, and the Nittany Lions have to navigate a search in a market where Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor is reportedly finalizing a deal worth up to $9 million with incentives. The concern is not just finding the right fit on the field, but whether Penn State can keep pace financially with the schools chasing the same elite quarterbacks. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Midweek Update Brings One Tough Football Reality
The playoff picture is changing again, and the ripple effects will matter for Penn State as much as anyone else in the Big Ten. Starting in 2027, the College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams, while the Power Four conferences are also set to move away from conference championship games, a shift that could alter how teams are judged in the final stretch of the season and how much margin for error they have in November.
For Penn State, the midweek news also carried a tougher football note, with head coach Matt Campbell saying wide receiver Koby Howard is unlikely to return this season because of injury. Elsewhere around the athletic department, there was more positive momentum as wrestlers Mitchell Mesenbrink and Shayne Van Ness were named Big Ten Wrestlers to Watch for 2026-27, and womens volleyball climbed to No. 10 in the AVCA Poll after a recent win. [Read more 🡒]