Big Ten play arrives Saturday for Penn State, and with it comes a better read on what this 2026 team really is.
The Nittany Lions head into Wisconsin with a few clear pressure points, and the first one is obvious: they have to manage the absence of No. 1 wideout Koby Howard. That doesn’t make it a disaster for PSU, but it does force the offense to adjust. Howard has been Rocco Becht’s top target so far and the biggest threat to stretch the field for a home run ball.
The good news for Penn State is that the passing game may already be leaning heavily on the tight ends. Becht has shown comfort with Benjamin Brahmer and Andrew Rappleyea, and he also has a built-in connection with Gabe Burkle from his Iowa State days. That opens the door for Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen to take on bigger roles, too.
Penn State also needs more from the ground game, especially after last week was the first time the run game really popped this season. All four featured backs had their moments, including Quinton Martin Jr., who ripped off 100 rushing yards on 10 carries after not getting the ball at all against Temple.
Still, there are issues that have to get cleaned up. Carson Hansen has to show whether he’s the No. 1 back.
James Peoples cannot put the ball on the ground the way he did against Buffalo, even if replay rescued him. Martin also has to secure the screen pass he dropped, even though a roughing the passer penalty saved that sequence, too.
With the receiving corps taking a hit this week, the run game becomes even more important.
On defense, Penn State’s beefed-up front is built for this kind of matchup. Wisconsin has long been known for massive offensive linemen and a punishing run game, and this year is no different. The Badgers’ smallest lineman is center Austin Kawecki at 310 pounds.
Penn State, meanwhile, is no longer rolling out the smaller, more athletic defensive tackles it used in the past. The Lions now have five defensive tackles at 300 pounds or more, led by Siale Taupaki and Dallas Vakalahi, both listed at 326. That size should matter against a team that wants to lean on the run.
And then there’s Abu Sama III. Wisconsin’s top running back spent the last three years playing for Matt Campbell at Iowa State, where he rushed for nearly 2,000 yards with the Cyclones before transferring after Campbell took the Penn State job.
Campbell knows Sama well, and so do the other defenders who played with him. That familiarity should make it hard for Sama to sneak up on anyone.
Sama also missed last week’s 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan with an injury, but he is good to go today.
The only oddity left is the 5 p.m. kickoff. It’s not a normal start time, but plenty of fans seem to like it, especially with an early fall day expected to be beautiful. It’s also not without precedent for Penn State: the 2013 Michigan game, a 43-40 four-overtime classic, also kicked off at 5 p.m. and remains one of the most memorable games of the Bill O’Brien era.
In Other News...
Former Penn State Transfer Miss Is Getting A Real Jets Chance
Malik McClains football path has taken another turn, and this one gives the former Penn State wide receiver a real chance to stick in the NFL. After a college career that never fully took off and a disappointing season in Happy Valley in 2023, McClain signed with the New York Jets and worked his way from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster.
For a player whose college production never matched the early promise, this is the kind of opening that can keep a career moving. McClains path now appears to run primarily through special teams, where roster spots are earned by doing the little things well and making himself useful on game day, a role that could finally give him a foothold at the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have A New Reason To Dread Wisconsin Week
Penn States Big Ten opener against Wisconsin already had the feel of an early barometer game, and now there is a viewing wrinkle on top of it. The matchup is slated to stream on Peacock, which means fans who want to watch it will need a subscription rather than a standard TV broadcast, adding another layer of inconvenience to a week that already carries plenty of attention in State College.
The timing is notable because Penn State has not exactly been surrounded by marquee television treatment this season, and the first few home crowds have shown some softness for nonconference games, including the Buffalo matchup that drew the smallest attendance at Beaver Stadium since 2019. An NBC broadcast is coming in week six, but before that arrives, Wisconsin week has turned into the kind of date Penn State supporters may already be bracing for. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States First Big Ten Lineup Under Matt Campbell Comes Into Focus
Matt Campbell is sticking with a familiar routine in Happy Valley, declining to release an official weekly depth chart as Penn State moves through the 2026 season. The approach mirrors what the previous coaching staff did, leaving Lions247 to piece together a projected lineup from practice observations and information coming out of the program.
That unofficial chart is expected to stay fluid from week to week, with updates coming as roles and availability change. Under Big Ten rules, player availability designations will still be attached each week, giving fans at least a clearer picture of who is in and who is out even if the full pecking order remains an internal matter. [Read more 🡒]