Badgers cannot let Penn State game 'fall on Braedyn Locke's shoulders'

Wisconsin will need to lean on what has worked during its three-game winning streak.

Oct 12, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke (18) scores a rushing touchdown during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Wisconsin welcomes No. 3 Penn State to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday night in what could be a major turning point of the 2024 season. National college football analyst Josh Pate broke down the matchup on his podcast and called it a very "sneaky game."

"Penn State got a little schedule break here by the way and they're fortunate," Pate said. "Penn State is coming off a bye and the last time they played, they went on the road, they beat USC, and Drew Allar got a little confidence about himself. They're road-tested. They've been to West Virginia, they've been to USC, so Camp Randall probably won't present anything new to them."

The Nittany Lions are 6-0 this season, but with a home game against Ohio State next week, Saturday's showdown with Wisconsin could be to be a prime look-ahead spot.

The Badgers are 5-2 this season after taking down Northwestern, Purdue and Rutgers by a combined score of 117-16 over the last three weeks. A win against Penn State would establish themselves as a real contender in the Big Ten.

"Wisconsin, they have been heating up. But, this is their fifth straight game and they're off a back-to-back road stretch," Pate said. "Wisconsin, strangely, has settled into some form of familiarity when it comes to what they look like on paper. They're doing it a different way, it doesn't look the same, but they're playing good defense and they're running the ball."

Pate pointed out that Penn State will be a major step up in competition for the Badgers, but running back Tawee Walker has averaged 139.3 rushing yards per game over the last three weeks as the Badgers have developed an identity.

"Penn State is a little bit different caliber of a team here," Pate said. "They cannot make this just fall on Braedyn Locke's shoulders. Penn State has the best pass rush they've seen. He's thrown an interception in each of his last four games. If it falls on him and they're having to play from behind, it could be a long day."

Pate's model, which features his weekly JP Poll, favors Penn State by only three points. Most sports books project Penn State as a 6.5-point favorite. Despite that, Pate thinks the Nittany Lions have a rest advantage and they'll be tough for Wisconsin to handle.

"I think Penn State will hit a stride coming out of the bye and you'll find that Wisconsin is a good team," Pate said. "James Franklin against anyone not named Ohio State or Michigan has been perfect for quite a while in the Big Ten. I will take Penn State to win and I will take Penn State to cover. Not a blowout, but I will take them to cover."

Penn State, notably, beat Bowling Green by seven points at home in September. They've looked vulnerable and Wisconsin should have an opportunity to pull off an upset at Camp Randall.