Penn State’s Big Ten opener brings a secondary challenge, and Wisconsin may have just gotten the kind of injury break that makes it more difficult.
Malachi Coleman is trending toward a return after missing Wisconsin’s 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan with a head injury, and that matters because the 6-foot-5 Minnesota transfer gave the Badgers a real downfield presence in Week 1. Against Notre Dame, he caught four of five targets for 76 yards and a touchdown, leading quarterback Colton Joseph in receiving production.
Coleman’s absence in Week 3 took some of the edge off Wisconsin’s passing game. His likely return changes that, and it arrives at a time when Penn State is still trying to sort out exactly how much it can trust its defensive backfield against a Power Conference opponent. The Nittany Lions have talent back there, but not much of it has been tested in this setting yet.
That’s where the matchup gets interesting. Penn State defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn would, by reputation and preference, lean into man coverage as often as nearly anyone.
His USC defense ranked No. 11 in the nation in man coverage usage last season, even though he mixes things up in plenty of other ways. The early-season sample size doesn’t say much yet because of the competition level, but with Penn State not exactly overflowing with proven pass rushers up front, pressing the issue with coverage and pressure could be the cleaner answer.
The cornerback group will be under the microscope. Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson handle the outside, while Zion Tracy and Josiah Zayas work at nickel.
Collins had a strong 2025 season with 538 snaps, while Dixson didn’t get going until late last year. He logged 320 snaps overall, almost all of them after Week 12 in wins over Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Clemson.
That gives him some Power Conference exposure, but this is a different kind of test, and Coleman’s return raises the degree of difficulty immediately.
Coleman’s role against Notre Dame was telling. He played the third-most snaps among Wisconsin receivers, and most of that work came on the outside. He arrived this season with only 13 career catches between Nebraska and Minnesota, but the Badgers appear to have found a way to use his length and stride to stretch defenses vertically.
He also changes the rest of the picture for Wisconsin.
Without Coleman against Eastern Michigan, Wisconsin leaned heavily on Tyrell Henry, who drew 17 targets and works almost entirely from the slot. Chris Brooks Jr. and Eugene Hilton, who both saw slot work in Week 1 against Notre Dame, spent nearly all of their time outside in Week 3. Eastern Michigan wasn’t equipped to punish that kind of predictability, but Penn State is a different story.
Henry figures to be Tracy’s assignment when he’s inside, though Penn State has shown some willingness to shift its looks. Tracy has been moved outside at times, and Zayas has rotated in at nickel as a more aggressive run defender. If Coleman is back on the field, Wisconsin can spread Henry, Brooks, and Hilton around with more freedom, knowing the big-bodied outside target will demand attention on his own.
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 🡒]