Penn State Upset By Wisconsin in First Loss Under Matt Campbell

The Penn State Nittany Lions have entered a new era of football this season with Matt Campbell taking over as the head coach. Penn State lost for the first time under Campbell, falling to the Wisconsin Badgers 24-20.

Campbell joined the Nittany Lions with a strong track record, as he finished with a 72-55 record over 10 years at Iowa State and won three Big 12 Coach of the Year Awards.

Campbell took over a Penn State program that finished with a 7-6 record in the 2025 season and he has quickly transformed them into a strong program. The Nittany Lions entered Saturday as the 13th-ranked program in the country and were in the mix for the College Football Playoff.

With the loss, the Nittany Lions still have plenty of work to do and may not be ready to compete with the top teams in college football.

The defense was the highlight for Penn State in the loss, with Josiah Zayas recording a pick-six and Daryus Dixson and Tony Rojas each recording an interception. Rojas also had the Nittany Lions' lone sack of the game.

They gave up more on the ground, as the Badgers rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. 

Campbell's defense gave up a big score at the end of the game when Colston Joseph connected with Jacob Harris on a 72-yard touchdown pass to put Wisconsin in front.

On offense, it was a major struggle for Penn State. Quarterback Rocco Becht completed just 12 of 29 passes for 114 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception. They weren't much better on the ground, as they rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown as a team on 36 carries. Becht did rush for a touchdown, but couldn't get into a rhythm as a passer.

Becht could not connect with receivers downfield on the final drive when they had a chance to win the game.

For the Nittany Lions to reach their full potential, Becht and the offense will need to be better in the upcoming games. Penn State has a challenging game against the USC Trojans in a couple of weeks, followed by a game against the Michigan Wolverines.

Campbell brought in a ton of talent via the transfer portal this offseason, which has helped them be more competitive. However, with tougher matchups ahead, his group will need to be sharper, as they won't be able to compete with top programs in the country if they're losing to unranked teams like the Badgers.