The Penn State Nittany Lions dropped yet another hard-fought game; this time it was to the Michigan Wolverines. Penn State suffered a 21-18 heartbreaking loss that now sends them to a losing record for the first time this season at 3-4. To make matters worse, they were leading 3-0 for most of the game before the Wolverines got going. The Nittany Lions are now on a four-game losing streak and have looked very bad in the first year of the Matt Campbell era. With that being said, let’s take a look at the Nittany Lions’ performance in their devastating loss to the Wolverines.
Takeaways From the Heartbreaking Nittany Lions’ Loss
Rocco Becht May Not Be the Answer; The Running Game Continues to Struggle
Starting with the running game, Carson Hansen did have a two-yard rushing touchdown, and looked slightly better compared to other games this season, but he was still held to just 51 yards on 15 carries. Hansen has yet to have his breakout game this season, and his below-average performance in the backfield has hurt this offense tremendously.
As for Rocco Becht, he has looked very bad in this four-game losing streak, but this may have been his worst game yet. Becht was 28/44 for 267 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The defense gave it their all, but Becht lost this game for the Nittany Lions. If the Penn State want a chance to compete, it may be time to sit Becht down and give a new quarterback an opportunity to give this team some spark.
Defense Came to Play
The Nittany Lions’ offense may have been bad, but the defense looked outstanding. The defense not only held the Wolverines to 21 points, but they also forced them to bench Bryce Underwood at halftime due to throwing two interceptions. The Nittany Lions had playmakers all over on defense, with Zion Tracy and Josiah Zayas being the two to come up with the interceptions. Zayas is a true freshman, and his interception was a very nice one-handed catch, which gave them momentum.
The defense did their job but got absolutely no support from the offense, which ultimately led to the Wolverines winning the game. They also only allowed 90 passing yards between both quarterbacks and 201 rushing yards from four running backs. The run defense struggled, but overall the defense was electric, and the offense is to blame for this loss.
Sowell Is Heating Up
The final takeaway is another positive, that is wide receiver Chase Sowell. Sowell is looking like an absolute superstar. Sowell caught 11 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown against the Wolverines. He also caught 4 passes for 95 yards last week against the USC Trojans, and he is red hot and the only positive in this offense right now. Even in the Nittany Lions’ blowout loss to the Northwestern Wildcats the week before, he caught five passes for 68 yards and one touchdown. With Koby Howard sidelined, Sowell has really stepped up into a wide receiver one role, and he is one of the very few if not the only, bright spots in this struggling Nittany Lions offense.
The Last Word
With the Nittany Lions’ loss, they suffer their fourth straight defeat in a row and this time it is the offense that did not do enough. They seem to be completely beaten and worn out, but you still want to end the season on a high note. With the loss, the Nittany Lions fall to a losing record for the first time in the 2026 season and will return home to host the Purdue Boilermakers next week. Do you think it is time for Penn State to bench Becht and start a new quarterback?
Main Image: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
