Penn State will head into Saturday night’s White Out with some uncertainty along the defensive front, as Armstrong Nnodim landed on the final Big Ten availability report as a game-time decision.
The redshirt sophomore defensive tackle started the week listed as questionable, then moved to probable on Friday night before being listed again as a game-time decision two hours before kickoff at Beaver Stadium. Nnodim has eight tackles and one tackle for loss in three games this season.
USC’s final report brought a longer list of question marks. The Trojans have five players designated as game-time decisions: defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart, wide receiver Trent Mosley, tight end Mark Bowman, offensive lineman Elijah Paige and defensive tackle Jide Abasiri. Stewart, Mosley, Bowman and Abasiri were on the injury report throughout the week, while Paige, USC’s starting left tackle, was added on game day.
Penn State also had one player ruled out. Tatsch, who began the week questionable, was officially shut down Friday night. The other 12 USC players listed as out were also unavailable in the Trojans’ loss at Northwestern last Friday.
That leaves Penn State expected to lean heavily on Kooper Ebel, Tony Rojas and Cael Brezina in the linebacker rotation if Tatsch and Smith remain unavailable.
The biggest names on USC’s side carry real weight. If Stewart and Abasiri are able to play, the Trojans get a major lift inside, where both are important interior pieces.
Mosley has been sidelined since USC’s win over Louisiana on Sept. 12, but he flashed early with 13 catches for 255 yards and four touchdowns, along with a punt return touchdown, in the first two-plus games of the season. Bowman, the No. 2 tight end in the Class of 2026, has already made his presence felt with 21 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Simms is the most notable USC absence. He has 12 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown in four games. Anderson is reportedly headed for season-ending surgery because of an undisclosed injury, and Anderson and Treter were downgraded.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Beaver Stadium, with NBC carrying the broadcast.
Noah Eagle will handle play-by-play, Todd Blackledge will be on analysis and Kathryn Tappen will report from the sideline. USC enters as a 1.5-point favorite, according to Caesars.
The Big Ten first rolled out pregame availability reports before the 2024 season, then expanded the process for 2026 to include three additional reports during the week. Teams now submit reports by 8 p.m.
ET three days, two days and one day before a game, with the final update arriving two hours before kickoff. On game day, players are listed as game time decision, out or out (1st Half).
If a player does not appear on the report, he is considered available.
For visiting teams, the conference says players are included if they were either part of the travel squad or were not on the travel squad but are, or have been, included in the two-deep on offense, defense or special teams, or otherwise regularly participate in games.
In Other News...
Penn State's White Out Is Chasing A Beaver Stadium First
Penn States White Out against USC is lining up to be one of those Beaver Stadium nights people talk about for years, and not just because of the matchup. The game has already topped 110,000 tickets distributed, putting it in position to challenge the stadiums single-game attendance mark as renovations continue to reshape the venue and add new premium suites and bleacher seating.
The bigger backdrop is that Beaver Stadiums capacity has crept up this season, giving Penn State a fresh chance to post an attendance number that would stand above the recent records set in 2024 and 2025. If the announced crowd lands where it appears headed, the White Out will not only bring the usual noise and spectacle, it could leave the program with a new benchmark for one of college footballs most iconic settings. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have Every Right To Debate Whos Letting This Team Down
Penn States loss to No. 19 USC in front of a record crowd at Beaver Stadium only sharpened the questions around a season that keeps slipping further out of reach. The 31-23 defeat came with enough bright spots and enough frustration to fuel plenty of postgame debate, because the Nittany Lions did not look like a team simply undone by one bad break. Some players showed up and made their case, while others struggled through a night when both sides of the ball had issues keeping pace.
The larger concern is the trend line. Penn State is now 0-3 in Big Ten play, and with bowl eligibility suddenly looking uncertain, every weekly evaluation carries more weight than it should this time of year. The offense and defense have each had their share of problems, and after a game like this, the conversation naturally turns from one result to the broader question of who is actually helping this team move forward and who is holding it back. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Record Crowd Saw A Loss Fans Won't Shrug Off
The biggest crowd ever to pack Beaver Stadium got a game with all the drama Penn State could ask for, and not the ending it wanted. USC came in and left with a win after a back-and-forth night that featured multiple lead changes and scoring drives, the kind of heavyweight matchup that had the place buzzing from start to finish.
Penn State had chances, but USC quarterback Jayden Maiava kept delivering, completing 21 of 33 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. For a fan base that showed up in record numbers expecting a memorable night, this was the sort of loss that lingers, not just because of the result, but because it came in a game the Nittany Lions had every reason to believe they could finish. [Read more 🡒]