Penn State football is back in action Saturday for Week 4 vs. Wisconsin, women's volleyball has another match that kicks off Big Ten play, and men's hockey is just a couple weeks away. There are expectations, high floors, and tough opponents on the schedule for all three teams. Let's take a look at what's ahead of them.
What Koby Howard's absence means for Penn State football
The Nittany Lions seemed to have found their wide receiver they've been looking for, but soon after figuring that out, Koby Howard sustained a long-term injury that will keep him out for a few weeks.
With Big Ten play coming up with Wisconsin on the schedule first on Saturday, Penn State's offense will have to figure out fast which offensive weapons it needs to rely on against tougher defenses.
With that being said, a few names come to mind: wide receiver Chase Sowell, running backs Quinton Martin Jr. and Carson Hansen, and left tackle Malachi Goodman. Quarterback Rocco Becht has to be protected, hence why Goodman is essential, and the run game has to take a step forward if the pass game doesn't have its spark plug.
The Nittany Lions are in a decent spot still and they don't have a necessarily difficult Big ten schedule. They just don't have a buffer, non-conference slate to determine which weapons will be essential moving forward. It's a tight end-heavy offense over in Happy Valley, so those other pieces mentioned before will have to provide extra security.
Women's volleyball kicks off Big Ten play
Katie Schumacher-Cawley and her Nittany Lions start Big Ten play on Friday with their first match against Michigan. Penn State is ranked 14th in the AVCA Poll and the Wolverines aren't even on the bubble receiving votes, but that doesn't mean they aren't a tough opponent.
Michigan is 9-2 overall and has only lost to South Carolina (3-2) and TCU (3-1). The rest of its schedule is tough to assess considering it hasn't had a particularly competitive slate so far, so this match is huge for both teams. The Nittany Lions must find a rhythm early and finish sets off strong.
More: Men's hockey opens the season with ranked matchup against UConn
In two weeks, Penn State men's hockey is back in action after a first-round exit in last year's NCAA Frozen Four Tournament. This time around, the Nittany Lions are missing star forward Gavin McKenna, who was drafted by and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Still, Penn State is ranked No. 17 in the USCHO Preseason Poll. The roster is stacked with Canadian Hockey League talent and led by returning captains Dane Dowiak and Reese Laubach. This is a Nittany Lions team that could easily find its way back into the postseason.
First up, though, the blue and white take on UConn. It will be a tough matchup, putting the Big Ten up against Hockey East, and it is also a ranked contest. The Huskies are ranked No. 15 in the preseason poll. They also have home ice advantage in Storrs, Conn. with puck drop slated for 7 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 9. Penn State stays in Connecticut for a game against Sacred Heart the following Saturday.
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