Against Purdue, Penn State earns first Big Ten win in the Matt Campbell Era

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Beaver Stadium had a lot of empty seats on Saturday. But those who showed up to watch Penn State take on Purdue got a sweet Halloween treat in the form of a win.

The Nittany Lions defeated the Boilermakers, 31-17, giving Matt Campbell a much-needed first Big Ten win at Penn State and snapping a four-game losing skid. They did so without both of their top receivers being sidelined with injuries.

Penn State’s (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) run game stepped up, tallying 267 yards and three touchdowns, while the defense limited Purdue (3-5, 2-3 Big Ten) to just 43 rushing yards and had two interceptions.

“[The team’s] just kind of gone to work and tried like heck to correct the areas and grow themselves forward,” Campbell said postgame. “I wouldn’t say everybody in that locker room’s done it, but I’d say the bulk majority has, and I think you saw that tonight. I think it’s exciting for this group because it is really the culture we’re trying to create here.”

During Big Ten play, Carson Hansen and James Peoples have been the two running backs receiving a majority of reps. But this Saturday, Penn State returnee and redshirt junior Cam Wallace was slotted in as the second featured back over Peoples.

Wallace made the most of his opportunity, leading the Nittany Lions with 135 yards, a touchdown and a 48-yard rush. Hansen also had a good day with 94 yards, a touchdown and a 42-yard long. Both explosive runs were the first over 10 yards by a Penn State running back in a Big Ten matchup this season.

Before Saturday, Wallace had just four yards in conference play, and his performance against Purdue marked his career high in rushing yards.

“You got to earn the right to play, and Cam did,” Campbell said. “Cam had an incredible two weeks. He has continued to stay the course, and how he’s practiced, he’s earned the right to go in and not just play, but honestly take advantage of his opportunity, and that’s what I’m really excited about.”

While the Nittany Lions still had a two-back rotation coming out of the bye, it was a different running back in Peoples’ place, and Wallace proved the staff’s decision right with the best game by a Penn State running back against Big Ten competition this season.

Both of Penn State’s leading receivers were out Saturday, as Chase Sowell and Koby Howard were sidelined with undisclosed injuries. Howard has been out since Week 4, but Campbell said this week he was questionable for the matchup against Purdue and wouldn’t play him unless he was fully healthy.

Sowell, who leads the Nittany Lions with 510 yards this year, popped up on the injury report this week with a questionable tag and was ruled out ahead of Saturday’s matchup. He left each of Penn State’s last two games with a lower-body injury, but wound up returning in both of them.

“I think Chase is really close,” Campbell said. “I think Koby’s really close. It’ll be great to get those guys back.”

With Howard and Sowell out, true freshman Amarion Jackson earned his first collegiate start, but recorded just two catches. The wide receivers as a group had just four completions.

“I thought Amarion stepped up,” Campbell said. “Another young man that’s really showcased himself in practice over the last couple weeks of waiting for his opportunity. I kind of think that’s what offensive football is. You have a good player go down, the next guy’s got to step up.”

Instead, it was the tight ends who stepped up in the absence of the top receivers. Ben Brahmer caught a shovel pass from holder Nathan Tiyce on a fake field goal attempt in the first quarter and led Penn State with 58 receiving yards.

Redshirt junior tight end Andrew Rappleyea also had a solid showing with 45 yards and a touchdown.

But with both of his favorite targets out, quarterback Rocco Becht struggled with accuracy at times. He missed wide receiver Brett Eskildsen deep twice, and those two former Iowa State teammates still haven’t connected on a pass 20+ yards downfield this season.

Becht threw for 175 yards on a 67% completion percentage and had two total touchdowns — one passing and one rushing. He had his second turnover-free game of Big Ten play, but he also looked lost in the pocket a few times, including on an intentional grounding penalty that set up a missed 55-yard field goal attempt.

Penn State heads west to take on Washington next Saturday. The two teams last met in the 2024 “White Out,” with the Nittany Lions handily taking down the Huskies, 35-6. Time, TV have yet to be finalized but kickoff is slated to be either 3:30 p.m. or 4:15 p.m.