Penn State football had an embarrassing showing at Northwestern Friday night, a performance that looked worse than the week prior vs. Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions lost 34-13 at new Ryan Field.
The blue and white put up just 48 net rushing yards, led by running back Carson Hansen who had four carries for 19 yards and one touchdown. In the pass game, quarterback Rocco Becht was 26-of-41 and threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass. He was sacked once and the Wildcats had four quarterback hits as well. Wide out Chase Sowell led the team with 68 receiving yards on five receptions (12 total targets), and receiver Brett Eskildsen had the most catches (six-of-eight) and had 45 yards.
Matt Campbell off to a 2025 James Franklin-esque start
The Big Ten is a different beast, one head coach Matt Campbell wasn't prepared for.
Campbell's roster is loaded with Iowa State talent, and while they were good players for that program, that doesn't mean they suddenly bump up their level of talent. Against the non-conference slate of Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo, Penn State looked great. The offense had a rhythm, Becht looked solid, and the defense held its own. As soon as Big Ten play kicked off, all those great things disappeared and were replaced by heightened weakness in the Nittany Lions' game.
They drop 0-2 in the conference and teeter on an 0-3 and potentially 0-4 start to Big Ten play before their bye week. With the Trojans up next on the schedule followed by the Wolverines, it looks like Campbell's falling down a slippery slope that got former head coach James Franklin canned in 2025.
The expectations are less rigid for Campbell given it's year one, but it's never good to see a team with such high hopes and good vibes get a slap in the face two weeks in a row all while knowing two more are ahead.
True freshman Kendall Northern gets her first start in Ryla Jones' absence
Middle blocker Ryla Jones suffered a knee injury in set three against Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 27. She collided with libero Ava Falduto and sat out for the remainder of the match. During Thursday night's Nebraska broadcast, the announcers said Jones does not need surgery, but will miss a few weeks of the season.
That means Penn State women's volleyball is down to just two middle blockers, including true freshman Kendall Northern, who got the start on Thursday vs. the No. 1-ranked Cornhuskers. She didn't have a standout performance, but she was solid. There were a few newbie-like errors, like not getting under to save balls when they collided with the net on the Nittany Lions' side, but overall, a good start for Northern.
Northern had three kills and one error on five attacks as well as one block assist. She looked strong up at the net with her fellow blockers, so it wouldn't be surprising to see her have a breakout performance against an easier opponent.
More: Penn State women's basketball brings back Vitoria Santana
Per Nittany Sports Now, Penn State women's basketball has brought back guard Vitoria Santana. Santana is a fifth-year graduate student who transferred after her 2024 season at Eastern Arizona.
In 2025-26, she had 66 total points, 39 rebounds, 25 assists, and 14 steals across 28 games and one start. She brings not only veteran experience at the NCAA level, but firsthand experience playing for the Nittany Lions. Santana is the only returning Penn Stater for the 2026-27 season.
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