Penn State · Big TenPenn State faces Wisconsin in its first Big Ten test
The Nittany Lions host the 2-1 Badgers at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26, after their third-down rate fell against Buffalo.
SEP 23, 2026
Penn State third-down rate against Buffalo
Penn State’s start entering Big Ten play
Wisconsin’s loss at Notre Dame
01 · The NewsPenn State’s First Big Ten Test
Penn State will put its 3-0 start and a preseason playoff projection on the line when it hosts Wisconsin at 5 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 26, in its first Big Ten game.
The Nittany Lions beat Marshall, Temple and Buffalo by a combined 127-22. Wisconsin is 2-1 after losing 41-13 at Notre Dame on Sept. 6 and responding with wins over Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan by a combined 90-19.
Third down may decide how close the game stays. Penn State converted 50% of its chances in its first two games, then fell to 20% against Buffalo, according to Yahoo Sports. Wisconsin stifled Notre Dame in those situations despite losing by 28 points.
The line of scrimmage could give Penn State another path. The Nittany Lions have not allowed many sacks, while Wisconsin has not produced many on defense, giving quarterback Rocco Becht time to work through his reads. The Badgers also have not consistently limited completions, but Becht’s downfield approach faces a sharper test against a Big Ten defense than it did in Penn State’s first three games.
Wisconsin has not announced its starting quarterback. Penn State’s offense, coordinated by Taylor Mouser, must handle that uncertainty while making third downs work against the first conference opponent on its schedule.
For Becht, the question is simple: can Penn State keep moving the ball when the easy openings disappear?
02 · The StakesThe Stakes
That makes Wisconsin Penn State’s first real test of whether it can stay in the Big Ten and playoff races after a 7-6 season in 2025. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket put Penn State seventh in the playoff field, and Saturday’s matchup directly pressures that projection.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
Penn State’s conference opener starts a compressed test that is larger than Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions play at Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 2, six days after the Sept. 26 game, then host USC on Oct. 10 and visit Michigan on Oct. 17. That puts four Big Ten games into 22 days, with the last three following on short rest, eight days and seven days.
The 2025 team went 3-6 in conference play, so the 3-0 nonconference start has repaired the overall record without answering the problem that produced a 7-6 finish. Wisconsin begins the stretch that can validate or quickly strain Josh Pate’s No. 7 playoff projection.
04 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Who will start at quarterback for Wisconsin against Penn State?
Wisconsin has not named a starter for the Sept. 26 game, leaving Penn State to prepare for an unsettled position in its first conference test. The choice will shape the first meaningful evaluation of a defense that allowed 22 points across three nonconference games. An announcement or Wisconsin’s opening offensive snap will provide the answer.
05 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Third down
Does Penn State rebound from converting 20% of its chances against Buffalo after converting 50% in its first two games?
Becht under pressure
Can Rocco Becht keep working through his reads if Wisconsin’s defense gives him less time and takes away the easy completions?