2026 PSU #13/14 vs. Wisconsin

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General Pre-Game Information

LINK TO PSU-WISCONSIN FINAL GAME STATS

• Game Four of 2026 season (Game color scheme announced Aug. 25/2nd of 3 “Color-Outs” this season/Kick time & TV announced Sept. 14)—This is the first Big Ten game of the 2026 season for Penn State and the conference debut for head coach Matt Campbell. On May 8, it was revealed that this would be the 106th Homecoming Game, and on August 25, it was announced that this would be the 5th Helmet Stripe game, as well (this is the first time that Homecoming has also been the Helmet Stripe game). It is the first of 5 conference home games this fall. Penn State (3-0) is coming off its non-league victory vs. Buffalo and is entering its 34th season in the Big Ten (all-time regular season record: 173-101). This is the third straight year in which PSU has opened its conference schedule at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions are 18-15 all-time in Big Ten Season Openers and 5-6 at home (most recently losing to Oregon, 30-24 in 2-OT in 2025). PSU enters this game riding 3 straight conference wins to close out the 2025 regular season (plus a bowl victory) and 3 straight non-conference wins to open 2026. Penn State is 75-25-5 all-time on Homecoming (most recently losing to Northwestern, 22-21 in 2025). This is the third straight Homecoming game vs. a Big Ten opponent. Penn State is 1-3 in Helmet Stripe Games (most recently losing to Indiana, 27-24 in 2025). The Wisconsin Badgers (2-1) are coming off their final non-conference game in Madison vs. Eastern Michigan (Badgers won 54-10 with Colton Joseph QB passing for 362 yds. & 3 TDs). Wisconsin running back Abu Sama III appears as “probable” on the Badgers Availability Report released Sept. 25 (Sama, who played for Iowa State/Matt Campbell for 3 years, missed the Badgers last game with a shoulder injury but is expected to play at PSU). The Badgers opened the 2026 season in Green Bay’s Lambeau Field against Notre Dame (Wisconsin lost 41-13), and this is their first game outside of the state of Wisconsin this fall. Penn State and Wisconsin last played in 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium (Penn State and Wisconsin have not played at Beaver Stadium since 2018). This is their 21st meeting all-time in the regular season (PS leads 11-9) and their 19th regular season meeting as members of the Big Ten (PS leads 11-7). The Lions have won their last 5 regular season meetings dating to 2012. Wisconsin’s 2026 starting QB is Colton Joseph (a transfer from ODU who started 20 games in 2024-25 for Monarchs head coach and former PSU assistant, Ricky Rahne).

• NOTE: The 2026 Homecoming game date was revealed on May 8th, but there was no mention of an official game time, or if there would be a “Color Out” seating scheme for fans, or if there would be a special uniform such as “Generations of Greatness” as has been seen at the six previous Homecoming Games played since 2019. A game time/special uniform was also not revealed with the announcement of the Helmet Stripe color scheme on Aug. 25. Kick time & TV announced Sept. 14.

• Last PSU Game played (Sept. 19): Penn State 55 Buffalo 13 at Beaver Stadium—Koby Howard WR was injured in this game and will miss the Wisconsin game (and probably others) per Matt Campbell on Sept. 23—Cryptic “Star Wars” message posted Sept. 23 on Koby’s Instagram seems to suggest his return in time for Oct. 17 game at Michigan

• Current Week’s Rankings: AP Poll (released Sept. 20)-PSU #13 (up 1 spot from last week)—Texas remains #1 with Ohio State slipping 1 spot to #7 after being vaulted by Ole Miss / US LBM Coaches Poll (released Sept. 20)-PSU #14 (up 1 spot)—Texas remains #1 with Ohio State slipping 1 spot to #7

• Wisconsin 2025 Record: 4-8 overall, 2-7 in Big Ten (0-5 overall on road)—Head Coach: Luke Fickell (5th season)—Fickell is 0-1 vs. PSU at Wisconsin with a loss in 2024 (he was also 0-1 vs. PSU in his 2011 stint as interim head coach at Ohio State)

• 22nd meeting with Wisconsin all-time (1st meeting since 2024/9th meeting at home): Penn State leads the all-time series, 12-9 (5-3 at Beaver Stadium). The series dates to a 1953 loss at Wisconsin (20-0) which was the first of two road non-conference games (including a 29-16 loss in 1970) ahead of PSU’s joining the Big Ten in 1993. The two first met in conference play in a 1995 loss at Beaver Stadium (17-9) which capped the Badgers longest winning streak in this series at 3. Penn State’s first win in this series came in 1996 at Wisconsin, 23-20. The Badgers have not beaten PSU since their 45-7 romp over Tom Bradley’s group in 2011 at Camp Randall that forged a tie with the Lions in the Leaders Division and sent Wisconsin to the first Big Ten Championship Game. Penn State has won the last 6 meetings in this series beginning with the 2012 “Mauti Bowl” overtime shocker at Beaver Stadium (PS wins 24-21/see below) and including the legendary 2016 Big Ten Championship come-from-behind classic in Indianapolis (PS wins 38-31) for the only conference title in the James Franklin-era. The two have only played 3-times in the decade since with PSU winning in 2018, 2021, and 2024.

• 3rd meeting with Wisconsin all-time on Homecoming (1st Homecoming meeting since 2007): Their Homecoming series is tied 1-1 (PSU lost to Wisconsin, 30-23 in 2003, and PSU beat the Badgers, 38-7 in 2007 both under Joe Paterno).

• 6th meeting with Wisconsin all-time in a Big Ten Season Opener (1st since 2021 upset win in Madison over the #12 Badgers, 16-10/1st meeting at Beaver Stadium since 2001 PSU loss, 18-6): Wisconsin leads this series 3-2. PSU’s only other win came in the 1996 league opener at Camp Randall, 23-20. Penn State has lost both prior Big Ten season opening games vs. Wisconsin at Beaver Stadium in 1995 & 2001. Penn State head coaches’ records in Big Ten Season Openers: Joe Paterno 8-11 (1-3 vs. Wisconsin), Bill O’Brien 1-1, & James Franklin 9-3 (1-0 vs. Wisconsin).

• PSU is 75-25-5 in all 105 Homecoming games played since the 1920 win over Dartmouth, 14-7 at New Beaver Field (there was no official Homecoming game in 2020 due to Covid-19). Penn State lost its 2025 Homecoming game, 22-21 to Northwestern in what was James Franklin’s final game as head coach (Franklin lost is his first and last Homecoming games to the Wildcats). The Nittany Lions last win on Homecoming was in 2024; a 21-7 primetime win over Illinois. Since 1920, Penn State head coaches are 4-2-1 in their Homecoming debut games (Winning coaches: Hugo Bezdek 1920 over Dartmouth, Joe Bedenk 1949 over Nebraska, Joe Paterno 1966 over California, and Bill O’Brien 2012 over Northwestern—the tie was Rip Engle vs. Temple in 1950).

• Helmet Stripe Game records: PSU is 1-3 in four Helmet Stripe Games (2021 loss vs. Michigan, 2023 win vs. West Virginia under the lights, 2024 loss vs. Ohio State, & 2025 loss to #2 Indiana, 27-24). This is the first Helmet Stripe game to coincide with Homecoming and also the first to be the Big Ten Opener (the 2023 Helmet Stripe game vs. WVU was the Season Opener). FYI-Michigan and Ohio State are the only opponents to have appeared in all 3 major “color out” schemes at PSU (Full Stadium White Out, Stripe Out, & Helmet Stripe games—OSU & UM also appeared in early “Student-only” White Outs). The Helmet Stripe concept was created, in effect, to give Penn State a “second regular season White Out”, and to replace the old “Student-only White Out” which was the original plan for the 2021 Michigan game (that change in plan was announced only 10 days ahead of the UM game).

• Last PSU Game vs. Wisconsin (2024 at Madison): The #3 Nittany Lions win 28-13 in a game where Drew Allar hurt his left knee on a sack in the final minute of the first half and did not play the second half. Allar looked good up to the injury (14 of 16 for 148 yds., 1 TD before the sack) floating a pass to Nick Singleton for a highlight reel 6-yard TD catch and an early 7-3 lead. Beau Pribula stepped in and had a strong 2nd half performance (11 of 13 passing for 98 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 0 sacks). Pribula’s TD pass was a one-yarder to a wide-open Khalil Dinkins TE. The defense was solid holding the Badgers to 81 yards rushing (the longest run was a 15-yarder on a fake punt in the 1st period). Jaylen Reed (who was playing the “Lion” hybrid LB-S role) also delivered a pick-6 for a 19-yard TD in the 3rd quarter and was memorably flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after he handed the ball to his mom in the stands. Kaytron Allen RB put a bow on the victory in the 4th when he took a direct snap and dashed 24-yards for the game’s final TD.

• Last PSU Big Ten Season Opener vs. Wisconsin (2021 at Madison): #19 Penn State was the underdog at Camp Randall against the 12th ranked Badgers in what was also the ‘21 season opener. The Nittany Lions defense spends a staggering 95 snaps on the field as Wisconsin dominates time of possession (42:24). The Lions bend, but do not break holding the Badgers to only 10 points in a 16-10 win. The first half was scoreless, highlighted by an Arnold Ebiketie DE blocked field goal. Noah Cain’s TD run and a missed extra point give PSU a tenuous late 6-point lead. Wisconsin drives from its 25 to the Penn State 1. A bad exchange leaves the Badgers backed up to the 7. It’s 4th and goal with 2:26 left. Graham Mertz, the Wiscy QB, fires a pass over the middle to his tight end but never sees Jaquan Brisker S who makes the off-balance INT at the 2 and returns it 40 yards killing a critical drive for Wisconsin. Penn State can’t kill the clock, however, and the Badgers get one last chance. But this time, it's the other former Lackawanna College sensation, Ji’Ayir Brown S, who makes the pick of Mertz at the 8-yard line as time expires. PSU wins a major defensive battle to open the 2021 season on a day when the offense had trouble staying on the field.

• Last PSU Home Game vs. Wisconsin (2018 at Beaver Stadium): The #21 Nittany Lions win 22-10 on a gusty day with freezing temps. Miles Sanders rushed for 159 yards on 23 carries and scored a touchdown to lead the attack. Trace McSorley passed for 160 yards and a 14-yard TD to DeAndre Thompkins for his then-record tying 29th victory as a QB (matching Todd Blackledge 1979-82 & Tony Sacca 1988-91). The defense sacked Wisconsin’s QB Jack Coan 5 times, and he was picked off twice by Nick Scott and Amani Oruwariye.

• Memorable PSU moment vs. Wisconsin: 2012 “Mauti Bowl”—Senior LB Mike Mauti had been “The Guy” that held the team together after heavy-handed sanctions were leveled against Penn State in the summer of 2012 as a result of the Sandusky scandal. Mauti’s final season (95 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 INTs) would unfortunately be ended one game too early when he suffers a knee injury in the 45-22 win vs. Indiana. The team and university rally around Mauti for the Senior Day faceoff with favored Wisconsin at Beaver Stadium. Click the LINK below to read how PSU wins 24-21 in an overtime stunner leading to Bill O’Brien’s famous “bunch of fighters” quote.

  LINK TO MORE ON THE 2012 MAUTI BOWL

  LINK TO THE 2013 BATTLE AT CAMP RANDALL

• 1st 5pm ET kick for PSU in 2026/1st game this fall that will run into primetime hours. This is the first 5pm ET kick for Penn State in a regular season game since the 2013 White Out vs. Michigan which aired on ESPN. More recent 5pm ET kicks include both the 2017 & 2023 Rose Bowl Games. The 2020 season finale vs. Illinois kicked at 5:30pm ET. (The 2026 PSU-Wisconsin kick time was briefly revealed on May 8 as 3:30pm EDT along with an “unofficial” Homecoming date reveal, but was switched back to a “TBA time” on PSU’s online schedule—On May 27, PSU announced this game would kick no later than 5pm EDT—Since this game is now officially slated to kick at 5pm EDT, this will be first test of the improved “Sports Lighting” installed atop the east and west sides of Beaver Stadium as part of the 2027 major renovation project—The first full primetime home game will be the White Out vs. USC on Oct. 10 on NBC-TV)

  TV/Radio Information

• Peacock/NBCSN Gameday Announcers: Dave Flemming (Play-by-play), Matt Cassel (Analyst) with Ashley Shah Ahmadi (Sidelines). Cassel is a former USC back-up QB and TE/WR (2001-04). Dave Flemming’s most recent Penn State game assignment was the 2022 Outback Bowl vs. Arkansas on ESPN2 (he also did the 2019 Citrus Bowl vs. Kentucky for ABC-TV).

• First game streamed on Peacock since the 2025 win vs. Nebraska (which was also aired live by NBC-TV). Last PSU game televised by Peacock-only was the 2025 game at Iowa (PSU lost 25-24). This is the 4th PSU game all-time to be seen on Peacock-only joining 2025 at Iowa (L), 2024 White Out vs. Washington (W), and 2023 vs. Delaware (W). This is the 3rd Peacock-only contest to air after 5pm ET (the ‘25 Iowa & ‘24 Washington games were in primetime). Penn State is 2-1 in so-called Peacock-only games, and 7-2 overall when counting 6 additional Peacock streamed games that were produced in conjunction with NBC-TV live telecasts (since current Big Ten TV contract began in 2023).

• This is the 4th straight game this season to be televised on a non-traditional (non-broadcast) TV Network, and the first to be seen primarily via “streaming-only”—Games 1, 2, & 3 were on FS1, ESPN2, & BTN respectively.

• The 5pm EDT kick time puts this game directly up against the Nebraska at Michigan State telecast on BTN. And it follows the Notre Dame at Purdue game which kicks at 2pm on Peacock.

• Penn State Radio Network Announcers: Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst), & Brian Tripp (Sidelines). Jones & Ham are in their 27th season in the booth together. Ham, a member of both the CHOF (1990) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988), played linebacker at Penn State (1968-70). Jones (Class of 1980) & Tripp (Class of 2011) are also Penn State grads. Sirius XM: 106, 180, 232, XM App