Penn State walks into Friday night with something to prove and a chance to steady itself fast. The Nittany Lions head to Northwestern for a Big Ten road game at the brand-new Ryan Field after a jarring 24-20 home loss to Wisconsin, and the conversation around this one starts with how Penn State responds.
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct.
- Fox will carry the game, and FoxOne will stream it.
DraftKings Sportsbook had Penn State as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday, with the over/under at 45.5.
The biggest pressure point is on offense, where quarterback Rocco Becht needs a cleaner night after a rough showing against Wisconsin. His decision-making and accuracy were part of the problem, and Penn State is looking for better rhythm and tempo to help get him back on track.
That offense also has to sort out the red zone issues that helped sink the Wisconsin game. Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser owned that part of it, while also saying Becht is “a 10,000-yard passer” he knows well. Mouser said the staff will look for better ways to get the tight ends involved and to give more chances to wideouts Zay Robinson and Amarion Jackson.
Penn State’s pass rush is another area under the microscope, especially with Max Granville out for the season. That puts more on the shoulders of starters Ike Ezeogu and Yvan Kemajou to get after Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles.
Head coach Matt Campbell revisited the critical stretch from the Wisconsin loss, including the fourth-and-1 decision that ended with a timeout and a punt after he said he was “50-50” on whether to go for it. The Nittany Lions had built a 17-0 lead before the game slipped away, and Campbell said the offense lost its footing because it couldn’t keep moving the chains. He said the flow of the game “got weird” after that early surge.
Northwestern’s David Braun had his own praise for Becht, calling him a competitor who “processes at a really high level.” Braun also highlighted Penn State’s ability to use its tight ends in multiple ways.
Friday’s matchup also brings the debut of the new Ryan Field, which is being described as the most expensive stadium ever built at $870 million.
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For Penn State, the timing only adds to the unease. The Nittany Lions are already staring at a difficult stretch ahead with USC and Michigan on the schedule, and recent losses have left the seasons outlook cloudy. Losing even the conversation around one of the programs most recognizable stars to another injury scare is the sort of development that keeps the mood around State College uneasy, even before the next kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
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The setback lands in a week packed with head-turning college football moments elsewhere, from South Carolinas collapse against Kentucky to Michigans offensive trouble after losing to Iowa. Even the broader sport has been in motion, with Foxs Big Noon Kickoff and Barstool Sports parting ways, but for Penn State the focus is closer to home now, where the pressure is already building and the questions around this team are starting to pile up. [Read more 🡒]
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The schedule does not offer much time to linger on the setback. USC and Michigan are next, and those matchups will give Penn State a chance to reestablish itself against high-profile opponents and climb back toward the top 25, but only if the Nittany Lions start looking like a different team than the one that just slipped against Northwestern. [Read more 🡒]