Penn State-Purdue Week 9 Matchup Gets Big Kickoff Update

The Penn State Nittany Lions are currently on a much-needed bye week, following a fourth straight loss last week.

After a strong start to the season, Penn State has come all the way back down to earth, falling short week after week. The Nittany Lions hold a record of 3-4 on the season so far, with the team going 0-4 in Big Ten play under new head coach Matt Campbell.

Campbell's tenure with Penn State got off to an excellent start, with the program thinking about a potential College Football Playoff appearance. But over the last few weeks, the Nittany Lions have played sloppy and inconsistent football, leading to the losses.

As the team prepares for its next game against the Purdue Boilermakers, the Big Ten has announced the start time for the matchup. The game will be played at Beaver Stadium, with a kickoff scheduled for 1:15 p.m. PT/4:15 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.

Purdue will be coming into the game with a record of 3-4 as well, but they have gone 2-2 in the Big Ten so far. The Boilermakers will look to play spoiler in Beaver Stadium next week, and Penn State has a challenge on its hands.

Campbell talked about the upcoming game against Purdue, saying that his team has to win in the margins right now. The veteran coach wants to see his guys taking care of the football, while also getting the ground game going strong.

These are two easy ways for teams to win games, and Campbell understands that his team is being put under the microscope right now. Penn State is just one of three teams without a Big Ten win right now, joining Maryland and Michigan State on the year.

Quarterback Rocco Becht has been an issue in the four-game losing streak, with the signal-caller playing very inconsistently. For the year, Becht has thrown for 1,664 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Penn State is sticking with Becht at the quarterback spot, despite calls from the outside to bench him. Campbell believes in Becht, a player who followed him to the Nittany Lions from Iowa State this past offseason.

But if Becht were to continue to struggle while the team keeps dropping games, Campbell may have a tough choice on his hands. For now, the veteran signal-caller will try to get Penn State back on track next week against Purdue.