Penn State Falls to Wisconsin After 17-0 First-Quarter Lead Slips Away

Penn State led 17-0 after the first quarter behind two early interceptions, then lost to Wisconsin in the closing minutes, a defeat that left its playoff hopes nearly gone.

Penn State lost to Wisconsin on Saturday, giving away a 17-0 first-quarter lead as the Badgers finished the comeback in the closing minutes. The game was the Nittany Lions' first Big Ten contest of the season, and the opponent was unranked. Wisconsin trailed by 17 in the opening quarter but kept chipping away while Penn State's level dropped over the rest of the night. It was a sudden end to a day that had begun well for the Nittany Lions.

The early advantage belonged mostly to the defense. Freshman cornerback Josiah Zayas intercepted a pass in the first quarter and took it back for a touchdown, and cornerback Daryus Dixson intercepted another pass on Wisconsin's next possession. Penn State's offense added a touchdown after a takeaway created a short field. A third interception came in the fourth quarter, but it did not produce a win.

The defense carried the game for roughly 55 minutes before running out of energy at the end, per the report. The offense generated little all night, and the takeaways covered for its limitations. Without those turnovers, the analysis argued, Penn State could have lost by a wide margin.

Slow starts have become a pattern, with the offense alternating between sharp openers and flat ones from week to week. Quarterback Rocco Becht has opened slowly and missed throws in three consecutive games, and the analysis suggested his production depends on volume rather than an early rhythm. It noted that opportunities have been there in the early going but the connection has not. Any correction, the report added, falls to Becht and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser.

The running game remains unsettled a third of the way through the season. Mouser has tried new personnel groupings, changed how snaps were split and adjusted the rushing philosophy without producing a major turnaround, according to the report. None of the running backs — Carson Hansen, James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr. — was described as a player who worries a defense on his own, but their skills were said to fit together. The suggested path forward is rotating all three based on situations.

The loss did significant damage to Penn State's postseason outlook. Because it came against an unranked opponent and no heavyweight programs remain on the schedule, the College Football Playoff was described as nearly out of reach unless other results around the country break the right way. The report said the realistic objective now is to regroup and lock up a return to a bowl game. Given the expectations entering the year, it framed that as a diminished prize.

The most urgent issue is the early-game offense. It warned that a high-scoring game is likely at some point this year and that opening flat in one would be costly. The report urged the team to solve the problem quickly before the season moves much further along.