Penn State Nittany Lions Take Bye Week Amid Coaching Change and Injuries

Penn State, PA — The Penn State Nittany Lions are on a bye week during Week 9 of the college football season after suffering a fourth consecutive loss last week. The team is currently 3-4 overall and sits at 0-4 in the Big Ten standings.

Originally ranked No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, Penn State has fallen out of the top 25 as they struggle to turn their season around. This slump has led to a coaching change, with assistant head coach Terry Smith named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

Smith made his debut in the role last week against Iowa, where the Nittany Lions squandered a double-digit lead in the second half. The team has faced significant injuries, including the loss of starting quarterback Drew Allar for the season due to an ankle injury, as well as star linebacker Tony Rojas being sidelined with a long-term injury.

As the Nittany Lions prepare for their next challenge, they will look to top rusher Kaytron Allen and defensive players like Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zakee Wheatley to step up. Allen is averaging 6.7 yards per carry and has scored seven rushing touchdowns.

Penn State will return to action in Week 10 with a challenging road trip to face No. 1 Ohio State, a team they have not defeated since 2016. The Nittany Lions hope to break an eight-game losing streak against Ohio State, having won only twice in Columbus since joining the Big Ten in 1993.