Top 5 matchups for Week 9 of the 2024 college football season
5. No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC
Wisconsin always provides a fun atmosphere for a Saturday night game and should again this weekend, particularly in what is suddenly a big matchup within the Big Ten. This will be the 21st matchup overall between the Nittany Lions and the Badgers, with Penn State leading the series 11 to nine thanks to five straight wins over Wisconsin going back to 2012.
Penn State will look to make it six in a row overall and three in a row in Madison as touchdown favorites and has looked sharp throughout the first half of the season. The Nittany Lions needed a last-second field goal to win at USC a couple of weeks ago, but it is one of two strong Big Ten victories they have earned as they also beat Illinois earlier this season. Penn State has been terrific on both sides of the football as its offense ranks 10th in the country, putting up over 470 yards per game behind Drew Allar and star halfbacks Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
The Nittany Lions are even better defensively, ranking sixth in the country while allowing just 262.5 yards per game. That could spell trouble for the Badgers as they have often struggled offensively, but since back-to-back losses to Alabama and USC, Wisconsin has put together three straight wins behind sophomore signal caller Braedyn Locke. Locke will need to play well again Saturday night, but the real story for Wisconsin has been its 14th-ranked defense giving up just 16 total points in its last three games. Forcing an ugly, low-scoring contest could give the Badgers, who currently sit fifth in the Big Ten, a chance to upset the Nittany Lions.
