No. 13 Penn State football sustained its first loss of the season in a 24-20 defeat to Wisconsin, a team that wasn't even in consideration for a "trap game" title heading into the season. The defense couldn't maintain its first half dominance after halftime and the offense was essentially zero help the entire game.
The Nittany Lions couldn't establish an identity on offense, something that wasn't a concern the first three games of the season aside from the run game lacking. In Week 4, there was one thing missing and that one thing made that identity collapse.
Wide receiver Koby Howard was responsible for 344 yards in the pass game in all three non-conference contests combined, including two performances where he eclipsed 100 receiving yards. He also had two receiving touchdowns in that three-game span.
During the week after the Week 3 win vs. Buffalo, head coach Matt Campbell told media that Howard will be out for an extended period of time. The receiver had emerged as Penn State's top pass catcher by a wide margin. Chase Sowell had the second-most receiving yards on the team with 126, but Howard's 344 definitely offered more security.
Without that security on Saturday, the pass game crumbled, and Campbell knows exactly why, too.
"I'd he a fool to sit up here and say we didn't miss [Howard]," Campbell told reporters after the game, Per Onward Sports.
Matt Campbell on Koby Howard's absense:
— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) September 27, 2026
"I'd be a fool to sit up here and say we didn't miss Koby."
Campbell says he has confidence in the rest of the receiver group.
Matt Campbell already misses WR Koby Howard after Week 4 loss to Wisconsin
Quarterback Rocco Becht was 12-of-29 for 129 yards, one interception, and zero touchdowns against Wisconsin. The only time the Nittany Lions crossed the plane into the end zone was on a quarterback keeper in the second half.
Zero passing touchdowns is not how Penn State will win games, and Saturday was evidence of that. On top of that, Becht finished with a measly 41 percent completion rate and couldn't push his offense down the field.
Heading into the game, the Nittany Lions knew they needed guys to step up collectively in order to fill that hole Howard's absence left. Some of those players were Sowell, tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and the running back room as a whole.
It looked like Brahmer was on track to doing so, but his success slowly dwindled away as he ended up catching only 50 percent (four-of-eight) of his targets for 36 yards. Sowell led the team with six catches for 70 yards on nine targets, and that definitely wasn't enough without a single other wide receiver logging a catch on Saturday. Running back James Peoples looked much more physical in this contest, but a 4.8 yards-per-run average (which led Penn State's rushers for the evening) is indicative of how difficult of a time the Nittany Lions' offense had.
They punted seven times on Saturday, was responsible for just one of two touchdowns, and was 50 percent on converting defensive turnovers into points. The first pick from Josiah Zayas was returned for a touchdown, so the offense got to sit back on that one.
Campbell adding that he's still confident in the rest of that receiver room is all talk in this case. It's great that he has faith in that room, as he should given how early in the season it is, but Sowell was the only one who showed up — and barely at that. If Howard was available, Sowell's production would've looked supplementary and overshadowed. That confidence needs to turn into production.
Unfortunately for Campbell and Penn State's offense, they need to find an answer in the pass game fast. Howard won't be around until Week 6 at the earliest, and that's not a guarantee. Over the next few weeks, the Nittany Lions can't afford to miss Howard anymore.
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