The Penn State Nittany Lions are set to host the Wisconsin Badgers in their Big Ten opener for the 2026 college football season. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 and ranked No. 13 in the country in the AP Poll, while the Badgers are 2-1, looking to pull off the upset.
The Nittany Lions found some bad news prior to the game: standout wide receiver Koby Howard was “dinged up” against Buffalo and will miss several weeks. This obviously has a massive impact on the Lions’ game plan and might even give the Badgers some hope to win. The Lions should he able to get the job done, but in a Big Ten conference showdown, you just never know what can happen. Now, let’s take a look at the keys for the Nittany Lions to make sure the Badgers do not pull off the upset in Happy Valley.
Penn State Football: Keys to Victory Over Wisconsin
Get the Run Game Going
There is no doubt Howard being out hurts the offense and will make the Badgers change their game plan. However, if the Nittany Lions can activate the running game, then the Lions should be just fine.
The Lions have struggled when in the red zone, and a large part of that is the running game. They do not have to dominate the running game, but they have to be solid to give them a chance to win, considering the Lions are down a wide receiver and might run the ball more. This does not mean they will lose if they struggle to run the ball, but it does make an upset alert much more possible. The Lions can not drive down into Badgers territory and not score. If they do, the Badgers will give them all they can handle and potentially even win the game.
This is why it is so important for the run game to get going because the Lions will likely be able to overwhelm the Badgers as long as they can figure out the running game.
Defense Steps Up Early
The next big key for the Nittany Lions to start conference play 1-0 is for the defense to do their job early in the game. The Lions offense could start off very slowly, considering Howard is out, and it could cause them to adjust their game plan. They have struggled so far offensively, just 9-of-17 on red zone trips, and that simply will not get them the win if the defense struggles as well. The defense does not have to play a perfect game by any means, but they absolutely can not allow touchdowns if the offense struggles without Howard in there.
Utilize the Tight Ends
The Lions may be without Howard, but they still have Benjamin Brahmer, who has been a very productive tight end so far. He is now likely the top offensive target for Rocco Becht without Howard, and if the two can connect downfield, the Lions’ offense could be just fine. Brahmer has just seven catches for 97 yards this season and will likely see the ball a lot more. The Lions have a great history of developing star tight ends and this week could be the beginning of that if the Lions use Brahmer as their primary target offensively. Andrew Rappleyea is questionable to play with an injury which makes Brahmer’s role even larger.
The Nittany Lions’ first test begins Saturday, and the Lions are faced with some adversity without their number one receiver, but they should still get the job done. Do you think the Nittany Lions will win their first conference game of the 2026 season or will the Badgers upset the Nittany Lions and give Matt Campbell his first loss as the head coach of Penn State?
Main Image: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
