For the first time this season, Penn State fans have a clearer picture of who’s in and who’s not heading into Saturday’s Big Ten opener against Wisconsin.
The Nittany Lions put out their first mandated availability report of the week Wednesday, and the list matched what coach Matt Campbell had already been hinting at after last weekend’s game and again during his Tuesday and Wednesday media sessions. No major surprises showed up on Penn State’s initial report before the 5 p.m. kickoff at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State and Wisconsin will each issue three more availability updates before game time: 8 p.m. ET Thursday, 8 p.m.
ET Friday and 3 p.m. ET Saturday.
The final report will come two hours before kickoff.
Penn State (3-0) enters the game as the No. 13 team in the country, while Wisconsin comes in at 2-1. The Nittany Lions opened as double-digit favorites. The game will be streamed on Peacock and televised on NBC Sports Network.
On Penn State’s Wednesday report, two starters were listed as questionable: linebacker Cam Smith and cornerback Christian Askew. Also in the questionable group were offensive linemen Brock Riker and Dominic Rulli, wide receiver Ethan Black and tight end Andrew Rappleyea.
Rappleyea was already described by Campbell on Tuesday as questionable after leaving the Buffalo win in the second quarter. Riker also entered the Buffalo game dealing with an injury, tried to play through it and left after two series. Campbell said Tuesday that Riker was “in a really good spot.”
Penn State’s out list was longer. Wide receiver Koby Howard will miss an “extended period of time” after getting hurt in the Buffalo game, Campbell said Wednesday. Offensive lineman Will Tompkins is also done for the season because of an undisclosed injury.
The rest of the out group includes defensive end LaVar Arrington II, cornerbacks Joshua Johnson, Tyler Armstead and Alexander, defensive ends Max Granville, Mason Robinson and Dayshaun Burnett, plus offensive lineman Davis, a Boston College transfer who has not played yet this season.
Granville’s injury was season-ending and happened in practice earlier this season. Burnett was hurt against Marshall in the opener. Armstead, a walk-on who saw early action against Buffalo, was spotted with a wrap on his hand during the postgame celebration.
Wisconsin’s Wednesday report was shorter. The Badgers listed running back Abu Sama III, wide receiver Malachi Coleman, running back Bryan Jackson II, offensive lineman Emerson Mandell and tight end Ryan Schwendeman as questionable. No one was listed as doubtful or out.
The Big Ten began requiring pregame availability reports before the 2024 season and expanded the process for 2026, adding three more reports during game week. Midweek reports will label players as probable, questionable, doubtful, out or out (1st Half).
On game day, the categories change to game time decision, out and out (1st Half). If a player isn’t listed, he is considered available.
For visiting teams, the conference says players are included if they were part of the travel squad or if they were not on the travel squad but are, or have been, part of the two-deep on offense, defense or special teams, or otherwise regularly play in games.
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