Wisconsin’s trip to Penn State looks a little less daunting than it did just a few days ago.
After a shaky start to the 2026 season, the Badgers are getting a few breaks at just the right time. The biggest one: starting running back Abu Sama III is back on track after dealing with a shoulder injury that kept him out of most of the Western Illinois game and all of the Eastern Michigan game. Sama said he’ll be ready to play Saturday at Penn State.
That matters because Wisconsin needs every bit of explosiveness it can get in the backfield. Sama’s return gives the Badgers a healthier, more dangerous option on the ground as they head into their first Big Ten test.
Penn State may have an injury question of its own. Wide receiver Koby Howard is listed as questionable, and Matt Campbell said he was a little banged up after a 70-yard touchdown in the Nittany Lions’ previous game.
Howard has been Penn State’s top receiving threat so far, piling up 322 yards and two touchdowns through the air, plus 24 rushing yards and another score on the ground. If he can’t go, that would take a major weapon out of Penn State’s offense and ease some of the strain on a Wisconsin secondary that has already had its issues.
But the biggest reason for Wisconsin’s optimism isn’t the injury report. It’s what the Badgers showed against Eastern Michigan.
That game answered a few of the questions hanging over the program after the first two weeks. Colton Joseph, who had been under the microscope, delivered his breakout performance with 362 passing yards and three touchdowns, while also scoring once on the ground. Tyrell Henry turned in one of the best receiving days in Badger history, catching 14 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown.
The defense finally gave Wisconsin the kind of game it had been asking for, forcing three turnovers. Special teams chipped in too, with a blocked kick and a blocked punt. Those are the kinds of plays that change the feel of a game and, just as important, give a team something real to build on.
So while Penn State is still a major challenge, Wisconsin heads into the matchup with a little more health, a little more confidence, and a little more reason to believe the upset path is there.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans Have Another Reason To Watch Jack Sorgi Closely
Jack Sorgi has given Wisconsin fans plenty to follow this fall, and not just because he is already headed to Madison. The senior quarterback and Wisconsin commit has put together a strong start to his season, piling up 1,401 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns while adding 313 rushing yards and six scores on the ground in five games. He is also completing nearly 70% of his throws and carrying a 124.3 quarterback rating, numbers that help explain why his stock keeps drawing attention.
For Badgers fans, the appeal goes beyond the box score. Sorgi is a legacy recruit, with his father, Jim Sorgi, having played at Wisconsin, and his arrival comes at a time when the quarterback room is expected to be young and competitive next season. That gives his development a little extra weight, because every strong performance now only adds to the anticipation about how quickly he can fit into the program once he gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Secondary Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
Wisconsins secondary was already under the microscope early in the season, and now it has to absorb a major blow. Cornerback Cai Bates announced he tore his ACL in Week 2, a development that is expected to end his season and removes a transfer who had been viewed as one of the more promising additions in the defensive backfield. Bates had been lined up for a bigger role, and his absence cuts into both the Badgers depth and their plans for shoring up the cornerback spot.
The timing stings because Wisconsin does not have much proven cover behind the starters, and the path forward gets thinner from here. True freshman Donovan Dunmore is now positioned as the top backup outside cornerback, a lot to ask of a young player in a spot where injuries can quickly expose the rotation. For a defense trying to settle in, losing a potential contributor this early forces the Badgers to keep adjusting on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Earliest 2027 Commit Is Already Showing A Different Edge
Ethan McIntosh and the Verona Wildcats keep rolling early in the season, and the latest step came in a 31-13 home win over Janesville Parker that pushed Verona to 4-1. For Wisconsin, the more interesting part was not just the result but the way McIntosh carried himself inside it, showing a sturdier edge in his play and a growing presence as a leader on the field.
Head coach Andrew Riley has noticed the development, and so has the Badgers recruiting staff, which has already landed McIntosh as the earliest Wisconsin commit in the class of 2027. McIntosh also talked about how tight the Wisconsin offensive line group has become among its recruits, a small but meaningful sign of how quickly the connection is forming before he ever gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]