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Wisconsin-Penn State matchup has Big Ten, recruiting implications
This weekend Penn State travels to Madison to take on Wisconsin in a massive Big Ten matchup. The Nittany Lions are holding steady in the top five right now while the Badgers are looking for their first signature win under second-year coach Luke Fickell.
With a game this big there are certainly recruiting implications worth noting. Let’s take a look at a few.
WISCONSIN COMMITS COMING TO TOWN
Even though Wisconsin sits at 5-2 right now there have been real concerns about the direction of the program under Fickell. Things haven’t gone as smoothly as fans would have liked to start his tenure and there is a lot of conversation about coordinator changes after this season.
Because of that, it’s always important to get the prospects already committed back on campus to remind them of why they committed in the first place. There are a lot of defensive commits making the trip. New four-star Nicolas Clayton is making the trip from Florida. Defensive linemen Torin Pettaway and Xavier Ukponu, inside linebackers Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano will be in town. So will defensive backs Remington Moss and Grant Dean.
A couple of offensive commits will be in Madison for the big game, too. Tackle Michael Roeske and receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. will get another up-close look at the program.
TWO OFFERED QUARTERBACKS VISITING
Wisconsin has a 2026 quarterback commitment already with Ohio native Jarin Mock in the fold. But the feeling is that the program will take two signal-callers in the 2026 cycle.
California native Ryan Hopkins will visit Wisconsin after recently picking up an offer from the program. He’s a 6-foot-3, 185-pound quarterback who also holds offers from Missouri and Michigan State.
Class of 2027 quarterback Teddy Jarrard will take his second visit to Wisconsin this weekend. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound sophomore from Georgia was on campus most recently in July. Quarterback is very important to offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s system so it makes sense that the Badgers are expanding their offers and bringing quarterbacks into town.
PENN STATE EYES TOP-10 CLASS
As things stand right now Penn State has a solid class that sits at No. 14 in the team recruiting rankings. That’s a respectable ranking and coach James Franklin and his staff have done well so far.
However, this isn’t the type of class that will win national championships. Penn State must find a way to push into the top 10 of the recruiting rankings to consistently compete with Ohio State and Oregon just in the Big Ten. A win on the road in a hostile environment will help reinforce the fact that Penn State is a true contender this season which will help elevate recruiting.
The Nittany Lions could be a program to watch down the stretch to pull off some big flips with a playoff appearance this season. Four-star defensive back Brandon Finney (Oregon commit) and four-star defensive end Zahir Mathis (Ohio State commit) are just two blue-chip prospects the Nittany Lions would love to bring to Happy Valley.
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