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Nittany Lions return to action next Friday, October 2, at Northwestern Game Book Opens in a new window VIDEO: Head Coach Matt Campbell Postgame Press Conference Opens in a new window UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 13/14 Penn State football (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten), by a 24-20 margin in its 2026 Big Ten opener from West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on Saturday evening. Penn State’s offense totaled 233 yards, including 119 coming on the ground and 114 through the air. Senior quarterback Rocco Becht compiled 114 passing yards on 12-of-29 attempts. Becht also produced 23 rushing yards and his first rushing score of the season and 20 th of his career. Freshman cornerback Josiah Zayas recorded the first touchdown of the game and of his career, a 51-yard interception return. Sophomore cornerback Daryus Dixson and redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas also recorded takeaways. Zayas’ and Dixson’s interceptions came on back-to-back drives, marking the first time Penn State had picks in back-to-back drives since the 2024 VRBO Fiesta Bowl game against Boise State ( Zion Tracy and Tyrece Mills ). Senior wide receiver Chase Sowell led the Nittany Lions in receiving yards with 70. Senior tight end Benjamin Brahmer tacked on 36 yards of his own. Junior running back James Peoples led Penn State in rushing yards, covering 67 yards on 14 carries. Sophomore running back Quinton Martin Jr. ran for 14 yards on six carries, and senior running back Carson Hansen ran for an additional 11 yards on four carries. Redshirt junior kicker Ryan Barker added eight points onto the scoreboard, converting a pair of field goals and two extra point opportunities. Redshirt senior safety Jeremiah Cooper led the defensive charge with a career best eight total tackles, including four solo. Senior linebacker Kooper Ebel also had eight total tackles, including three solo. Junior safety Marcus Neal Jr. tallied six tackles, with one solo, and Rojas recorded six tackles, including four solo. Two of Rojas’ tackles were recorded as tackles-for-loss. Penn State opened the scoring after both offenses did not convert on their first drives. Barker connected on a 21-yard field goal to put PSU on the board first. Neither team added anymore points for the remainder of the first frame, finalizing a 3-0 score in favor of the Nittany Lions after 15 minutes of game time. Zayas sent Beaver Stadium into a roar after a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown to give Penn State a 10-point advantage at the 12:50 mark in the second stanza. The PSU defense returned to the field, but not for long. On the third play of the drive, Dixson picked the ball mid-air and returned it to Wisconsin’s 11-yard line. The Nittany Lions made use of the defensive play, tacking on seven more points to the board with a quarterback keeper from Becht to the end zone. Both punting units made appearances before Wisconsin found the end zone for the first time with a seven-yard run. With two minutes remaining in the quarter, Penn State could not convert, completing a 17-7 score at the conclusion of the first half. The Penn State defense forced the Badgers to punt on their opening drive of the second half. The defense returned quickly to the field after an interception thrown by Becht. Despite Wisconsin being positioned at the PSU 22-yard line, the Badgers only managed to add three points to the board after the Nittany Lions defense came up with a big stop on third down. A long sequence for PSU resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Barker. Penn State converted on three third downs throughout the drive, including an 18-yard toss to Sowell and a 19-yard scramble for Becht. A quick trip to the field for the Wisconsin offense was followed by a punt from Tiyce for the Nittany Lions as the clock turned into the fourth frame. Wisconsin’s fourth down conversion on its next drive went to waste after the Badgers were forced to punt on their next fourth down. The PSU offense made a short appearance, with Tiyce punting after three plays. Rojas intercepted the Wisconsin quarterback on the first play of the ensuing drive, allowing the offense to take over at the PSU 45-yard line. The Nittany Lions were unable to move the ball, resulting in Tiyce’s sixth appearance of the evening. The Badgers narrowed the margin to 20-17 at a pivotal point in the game. With three and a half minutes on the clock, Wisconsin capped a 10-play drive that covered 75 yards with an 11-yard touchdown pass. Penn State did not have the response and punted for a seventh time. Wisconsin captured the lead at the 1:13 mark in the final frame, finishing off the six-play, 85-yard drive with a 72-yard touchdown grab to take a 24-20 lead. Penn State had one final opportunity to win the game. A 22-yard reception for Sowell moved the Nittany Lions across midfield. At the Wisconsin 33-yard line, Penn State attempted four passes but were unable to connect, wrapping up a 24-20 Wisconsin victory. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and tickets for the 2026 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com , or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.