No. 13 Penn State opens Big Ten play Saturday at home against Wisconsin, and both teams arrive in University Park with different kinds of momentum.
The Nittany Lions have looked sharp through three nonconference games, rolling past Marshall, Temple and Buffalo by a combined 127-22. Last weekend’s 55-13 win over Buffalo was their most explosive showing yet, with Rocco Becht, Koby Howard and James Peoples each finding the end zone twice. Penn State also controlled the game up front, piling up a 573-173 advantage in total yards.
Even with that kind of result, Penn State coach Matt Campbell wasn’t ready to hand out any broad compliments.
"Not where we need to be," Campbell said, "but I think a team that has certainly grown in different (ways) each week. ... This is college football, and I think our ability to grow from Week 3 to Week 4 will be really important."
One concern for the Nittany Lions is Howard, who left last weekend with an undisclosed injury. If he can’t go, Chase Sowell could see a bigger role after posting eight catches for 126 yards and a touchdown.
"Chase Sowell has been better maybe than I would even expect it to be where he's been," Campbell said. "I think we talked about it in preseason camp, (but what's important) is consistency, and I think he's given you dynamic playmaking ability."
Campbell also pointed to the growth of Penn State’s pass rush early in the season.
"What area has made the best growth in three weeks?" Campbell said.
"It's probably been the ability to watch that group go forward. ... You've got some guys who have a unique ability to pressure the quarterback. ...
I think it's grown immensely over the first three weeks."
Wisconsin, meanwhile, has already been tested. The Badgers opened with a loss to Notre Dame, beat Western Illinois and then finally put everything together in last week’s 54-10 rout of Eastern Michigan.
They outgained the Eagles 479-216, with Colton Joseph throwing for 362 yards and three touchdowns. Through the first three games, Joseph has thrown for 390 yards and two touchdowns in the first two outings alone, then added 46 rushing yards and a score on the ground against Eastern Michigan.
"Colton's a physical guy with a lot of ability," Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said of Joseph. "He's learning through Week 1, 2 and 3, when he can take his opportunities, when he can be more aggressive, when he has to be smart. I think we're going to need that as we move into Big Ten play."
The Badgers also have a question mark in the backfield. Abu Sama III missed last week after an undisclosed injury, even though he had rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries in Week 2. He was cleared to play against Eastern Michigan and went through warmups, but Wisconsin held him out.
"I'm not sure he was quite ready to be where he needed to be (last weekend)," Fickell said of Sama, who previously played for Campbell at Iowa State. "Hopefully he's a lot further along this week.
Without playing last week, without taking some shots. But we won't know just, right away.
We'll figure that thing out hopefully here soon."
Penn State has won the last six meetings in the series, and Wisconsin is still chasing its first victory over the Nittany Lions since 2011.
In Other News...
Wisconsin's Secondary Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
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The timing is especially rough for a defense that needs reliable depth on the back end, because the injury narrows the options at cornerback in a hurry. With Bates out, true freshman Donovan Dunmore is now the top backup outside cornerback, a spot that comes with real pressure this early in the season. For Wisconsin, the question is no longer just how to replace snaps, but how long the secondary can stay steady while one of its most intriguing pieces is sidelined. [Read more 🡒]
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For Wisconsin, the encouraging part is not just that McIntosh is committed early, but that he is beginning to show the kind of edge the Badgers want up front. He also talked about how close the Wisconsin offensive line recruits already are, which matters for a program that leans so heavily on cohesion and continuity in the trenches. The pledge is still early in the process, but McIntosh is giving Wisconsin a reminder that his development is moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Heads Into Penn State With One Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Wisconsins first three weeks have offered a pretty clear snapshot of where this team stands entering Big Ten play. The Badgers are 2-1 after handling Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan before running into Notre Dame, and now the schedule gets more serious with Penn State waiting in the conference opener. For a team trying to establish itself early, this is the kind of game that can sharpen the picture quickly.
Whats hard to miss is the need for cleaner football across the board. Wisconsin has to put together a complete game, cut down on penalties and get more out of the rushing attack if it wants to look the part against a Penn State team that tends to punish small mistakes. The margin for error shrinks in a matchup like this, and the Badgers are heading in with a few obvious issues that fans will be watching closely. [Read more 🡒]