Penn State’s week brought a little of everything: hockey schedule news, a wrestling eligibility wrinkle that could have major staying power, and more quarterback frustration on the football side.
Start with the rink, where Penn State is still looking for its first win of the season and now knows when the next Big Ten challenge arrives. The Nittany Lions dropped to 0-3 with losses to UConn, Sacred Heart, and Quinnipiac, then fell again Tuesday night at Pegula Ice Arena when Robert Morris beat them 5-2.
Justin Poirier scored both Penn State goals. His first came with help from Justin Larose and Caeden Herrington, while Jackson Smith and Reese Laubach picked up assists on the second. One more nonconference game now stands between Penn State and the start of league play.
That next step comes against Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Golden Gophers aren’t ranked, but they did receive 10 votes in the most recent USCHO Poll, and Penn State will have to handle them on the road. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m.
ET on Friday and 7 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The rest of the Big Ten schedule, aside from games airing on Big Ten Network, still doesn’t have announced start times.
There may also be a big update looming for Penn State wrestling. Head coach Cael Sanderson met with reporters Tuesday, and the latest NCAA eligibility developments brought Levi Haines back into the conversation.
Haines competed all four years as a Class of 2022 athlete, which means he was not included in the recent eligibility change tied to the five-in-five rule. Some athletes have already taken part in their teams’ 2026-27 seasons after joining state-level lawsuits that produced temporary restraining orders against the NCAA. Haines has not joined one of those cases, but there is still a hearing pending in a case that could grant nationwide eligibility.
If that ruling goes his way, Haines could be back with the Nittany Lions this year. For now, he is training for Senior World Championships.
On the football front, the quarterback situation remains unresolved. Rocco Becht has not produced the kind of season Penn State needs, even with the pass catchers in place, but after four Big Ten losses, Matt Campbell still isn’t pulling the plug and turning to Alex Manske.
“From an Alex standpoint, we have great belief that he’s going to have a bright future, his time will come, and when that time comes, we’ll be excited for that opportunity, but obviously that time is not right now," Campbell told reporters in his Tuesday media availability.
In Other News...
Penn State Title Chase Now Hinges On Two Huge Lineup Decisions
Penn States path back into the center of the national title conversation is getting a boost at two key weights, with Cael Sanderson saying Tyler Kasak and Josh Barr are expected to be fully recovered and back in competition. Both wrestlers were injured at the U.S. Open in April, but each has now resumed hard work, giving the Nittany Lions added clarity as lineup planning starts to sharpen.
Kasak is projected to slot in at 157 pounds, while Barr is returning with the kind of expectations that go beyond simply filling a spot. For a program that measures seasons by March more than by anything else, those two decisions carry real weight, and Penn State now has to see how quickly both can settle back in and contend for top honors. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Recruiting Problem Matt Campbell Can't Ignore
Penn States recruiting picture took another jolt when 2027 quarterback commit Will Wood backed off his pledge and picked Boston College instead. It is the kind of move that can happen early in a cycle, but it still lands with extra weight for a program trying to steady itself and keep its future classes on track.
Matt Campbell said his staff is working across multiple recruiting classes while also trying not to lose sight of the team in front of them. For Penn State, that balance matters right now: the staff has to keep pushing on the trail, keep evaluating what comes next, and still find a way to help the current roster improve enough to make those conversations easier. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Quarterback Move Changes How Penn State Fans May View That Loss
Tommy Carr is in line to make his first career start for Michigan against Indiana after his effective relief work against Penn State, a move that should at least prompt a little rethinking in State College about the sting of that loss. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said the staff has settled on a starter, though he stopped short of naming Carr publicly, and also made clear he feels good about Carrs preparation and football IQ.
Bryce Underwood, who had been the starter before the change, is expected to stay on the sideline unless the Wolverines need him because of injury or performance issues. For Penn State, the bigger takeaway is less about who Michigan is starting next and more about what that quarterback decision says about how the Wolverines viewed the game Carr helped swing in relief. [Read more 🡒]