The third-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions play their next game on Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers. Following a bye week, this is Penn State’s fourth Big Ten contest of the season. The Nittany Lions defeated USC 33-30 in an overtime thriller before the bye, to stay undefeated. Penn State’s record stands at 6-0, with a 3-0 record in the Big Ten. This game continues the toughest stretch of the Penn State schedule. Following Wisconsin, Penn State will take on fourth-ranked Ohio State, and then Washington. Below is a preview of this pivotal Penn State vs. Wisconsin matchup, where Penn State will look to keep rolling. Included are key Nittany Lions to watch. While it would be easy to name do-everything Tyler Warren, and quarterback Drew Allar, we will look at three others that should have an impact on this game.
The Badgers enter the game with a record of 5-2, and are 3-1 in their Big Ten games. Wisconsin’s two defeats this season have come at the hands of two teams ranked at the time, Alabama and USC. However, things have turned around during an easier part of the schedule. Over their last three games, Wisconsin has outscored Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern by a combined score of 117-16. Head Coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers will be motivated to keep their momentum going. A win over Penn State would be a definitive statement.
#3 Penn State (6-0) at Wisconsin (5-2) Preview
When & Where: Saturday, October 26, 7:30 pm ET, at Wisconsin (Camp Randall Stadium)
Last Game’s Results: Penn State had their second bye week of the season last week. The week before, they won on the road, defeating USC 33-30 in overtime. Wisconsin beat Northwestern on the road by a score of 23-3.
Last Season’s Results: Penn State finished ranked #13 after a 10-3 season that ended with a Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Wisconsin was 7-6 overall, including a 35-31 loss to LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Series History: Penn State leads the series all-time by an 11 to nine margin. The teams last met in 2021, when Penn State won 16-10.
Penn State Looks to Keep Rolling vs. Wisconsin: Key Nittany Lions to Watch
Defensive End Abdul Carter
Perhaps the most talented player on the entire roster, Abdul Carter has made an impact on some games this season. However, in his first season after moving from linebacker to defensive end, Carter’s performance has been very uneven.
Earlier this season, Carter was guilty of too many penalties. These penalties included five-yard offside penalties. They also included more punitive 15-yard penalties. Whether it was getting adjusted to the new position, new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s scheme, or simply trying too hard, Carter was not performing up to his capabilities.
Against Illinois earlier this year, it seemed to click for Carter. He was named National Player of the Week by the Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. This was in addition to Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, and Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades. In that game, Carter had four tackles for loss, including two sacks. He also had a forced fumble and pass breakup.
With the schedule continuing to toughen, Carter needs to match the intensity. Against USC, he had five tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup. Facing the Badgers offense, the Penn State defense will be seeing quarterback Braedyn Locke, who is filling in for the injured Tyler Van Dyke. Despite Wisconsin winning each of the last three games handily, Locke has shown the propensity to throw interceptions. Pressure from Carter will force the issue with the sophomore quarterback. That ability to pressure Locke makes Carter a Nittany Lion to watch as Penn State looks to keep rolling vs. Wisconsin.
Defensive Back Jaylen Reed
Corresponding to Carter’s ability to impact the game by applying pressure, Jaylen Reed can be one of the beneficiaries of rushed throws. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen runs a hybrid 4-2-5 defensive scheme that relies heavily on players like Jaylen Reed to contribute from a hybrid linebacker/defensive back spot.
Reed has had a solid year so far. As a senior, he was expected to team with KJ Winston to provide leadership and stability to the new defense. With Winston sustaining a long-term injury, more of the onus now falls on Reed. He has the abilities necessary to succeed in the hybrid role. This includes success at all three levels (line of scrimmage, linebacker, and defensive backfield).
Against a quarterback that has turned the ball over, the pass rush is essential. Carter, with help from Zane Durant and Dani Dennis-Sutton, should have that covered. Additionally, shutting down the Wisconsin running attack puts more pressure on Locke to throw the ball. In his role, Reed can help the more understated linebacking corps of Penn State. Lastly, the defensive backs need to be in the right position to capitalize on potential interceptions. Reed’s leadership will help in that regard. His ability to impact the game from all three levels makes Reed a Nittany Lion to watch.
Running Back Nick Singleton
Coming into the 2024 season, the running back position was one of the obvious strengths for Penn State. With Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, the Nittany Lions have arguably the strongest running back room in the country. However, while both Singleton and Allen have shown flashes, they have not had a statement game against a quality opponent yet. This matchup against Wisconsin could be where that changes.
Quarterback Allar performed very well against USC. Despite throwing two interceptions, he looked more poised as he continued to develop in the position. However, Wisconsin football has been synonymous with smash-mouth running games. A way for teams to counter that is to have their strong ground games. While both Singleton and Allen have done well both running and receiving, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki should look to utilize their talents more on the ground against Wisconsin.
Singleton missed the UCLA game with an injury but was back against USC. He rushed 10 times for only 26 yards. However, Singleton scored on a 14-yard reception as he finished with four catches for 39 yards with the touchdown. So far this season, Singleton has 434 yards on the ground with three touchdowns. He has added 10 catches for 113 yards and three more touchdowns through the air. His ability to impact the game on the ground, along with Allen, makes Singleton a Nittany Lion to watch.
