Penn State’s nonconference run is over, and the Big Ten grind starts now with Wisconsin coming to town for a game that carries a little extra meaning for several players and coaches on both sidelines.
For the Nittany Lions, this is the first real test of a conference schedule that will help define the first season under Matt Campbell. Linebacker Kooper Ebel said the jump into Big Ten play comes with a different kind of edge.
“The Big Ten is closer to NFL style of play,” Ebel said Tuesday. “I think we're just scratching the surface of our defensive schemes. I'm super excited to just attack it with the team.”
That confidence will get put to work right away against a Wisconsin team that already has some familiarity built in. Former Iowa State running back Abu Sama III, safety Carson Van Dinter and cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples are all now with the Badgers and will face their old coach, Campbell, in their new roles.
Sama, listed as healthy in Week 2, did not play against Eastern Michigan as Wisconsin tried to avoid making a shoulder injury worse. He is expected back against Penn State, and that gives the Badgers a runner the Nittany Lions know they’ll have to account for.
Safety Jeremiah Cooper spent three years going head-to-head with Sama in practice at Iowa State, and that background has him feeling like he has a read on what comes next.
“Just knowing him, knowing his tendencies, we all know that there's so many coaches here that coached him,” Cooper said Wednesday. “So, I'm picking on him.
He's a great player, though, very athletic, very strong, fast. I can't wait to play him because I kind of know what he's gonna do.”
Becht was just as complimentary, calling Sama “one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen.” He also said the Iowa State transfers on defense have been passing along what they know about Sama to the Penn State staff.
Van Dinter brings another layer to the matchup. He and wide receiver Brett Eskildsen were roommates at Iowa State, where Van Dinter worked mostly in a supporting role.
He logged 180 snaps in Ames, with 88 of those coming in his final two games of the 2025 season. He redshirted in 2024 after appearing in two games.
Eskildsen said he’s eager to see what Van Dinter looks like now that his role has grown.
“He’s a great kid and a great football player,” Eskildsen said. “So it'll be cool to see him out there. We've gone against him like when we were at Iowa State, but it'll be cool to see who he is now and how he's developed as a football player.”
Wisconsin enters the matchup after opening with a rough 41-13 loss to No. 3 Notre Dame in Week 1, a game that at least gave the Badgers a shot at a top-ranked opponent. Penn State hasn’t had that same kind of exposure yet, but the message from inside the program is clear: Big Ten football changes the tone fast.
Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said Wisconsin brings exactly the kind of challenge that can make an opener feel like a street fight.
“They're going to try to punch us in the mouth,” Lynn said. “They're a physical team, they run the ball downhill, they do a good job of creating explosive plays in the passing game. They're going to take shots and test us downfield.”
In Other News...
Penn State Staffer Faces Serious Off-Field Legal Trouble
A Penn State football staffer is facing serious off-field legal trouble after police in downtown State College found Jordan Lucas asleep in a vehicle under circumstances that quickly turned into a legal issue. Lucas, an assistant cornerbacks coach, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI along with three summary traffic violations after the stop, which also involved a suspended drivers license and expired vehicle registration.
Penn State has already acknowledged the charges and said Lucas remains with the program while the legal matter continues. For a coaching staff that has spent much of the season trying to keep the focus on the field, the situation adds an unwelcome off-field storyline involving a relatively new face in the defensive room. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Offensive Line Just Got Thinner At The Worst Time
Penn States offensive line took another hit at a bad time, with coach Matt Campbell announcing that Will Tompkins is done for the season because of injury. Tompkins had been part of the early rotation, logging 31 snaps over the first three games after transferring in from Iowa State, and he gave the Nittany Lions another experienced body in a group that can rarely afford to lose one.
The longer-term picture still offers something for Penn State to work with, since Tompkins is expected to keep four years of eligibility after this season. For now, though, his absence leaves the staff with one less option up front as the season keeps moving and the line depth gets put under more pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Lost A Dangerous Weapon Before Wisconsin
Penn States receiving group took a hit in the Week 3 win over Buffalo, and it comes at an awkward time with Big Ten play beginning. Koby Howard suffered an injury in that game and head coach Matt Campbell confirmed he will be out for an extended period, leaving the Nittany Lions without their most productive pass catcher heading into Wisconsin.
Howard has led Penn State in receiving yards through three games, so his absence forces a real adjustment in how the offense attacks the field. The injury is not season-ending, but missing him for the opener changes the shape of the passing game and puts more pressure on the rest of the receiving corps to fill the void. [Read more 🡒]