Penn State football injury report, who's missing vs Wisconsin?

STATE COLLEGE −Penn State football may be missing three top offensive starters against Wisconsin in Saturday’s Big Ten opener in Beaver Stadium.

Of course, star receiver Koby Howard has been ruled out for a few days now. He apparently suffered an injury while completing a 70-yard, catch-and-run touchdown last weekend vs. Buffalo.

The others who are listed as “out” on the final Big Ten availability report before Saturday evening’s game?

Eleven Nittany Lions will definitely miss the game, per the report. Though most are backups, PSU certainly will miss the services of a few, starting with sophomore edge rushers Max Granville and LaVar Arrington II.

The big question revolves around starting center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who are considered “game time decisions” on the report. Both left the Buffalo game with undisclosed injuries and did not return, though head coach Matt Campbell talked optimistically about Riker playing early in the week.

Here are the Lions listed as “out” for Saturday’s game: Howard, defensive ends Granville, Arrington, Mason Robinson and Dayshaun Burnett, offensive lineman Will Tompkins, tight end Cooper Alexander and cornerbacks Tyler Armstead, Christian Askew and Josh Johnson and linebacker Cam Smith.

Other game-time decisions are center Dom Rulli, safety Omarion Davis and receiver Ethan Black.

Campbell said his sophomore star “would be out for probably an extended period of time. It’s not season-ending, but it will be an extended period of time. I will do a great job as we get closer to his return to play, letting you know certainly when he’ll be back.

“Obviously, disappointing for Koby, but he’s handled it really well and I think the best interest of him going forward, you know, making sure we do right by him and certainly our football team.

“And you know, I think the hard part is as much as I’ve talked about Koby earning the right to have the success he’s had, I think that’s probably more so the disappointing part of it for him − just knowing how hard he’s worked. And the reality is he’ll work just as hard to get back and better than ever.”

Without Howard, the Lions’ pass game will focus on wideouts Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen and freshmen Zay Robinson and Amarion Jackson. The four have combined for 23 catches and three scores through three games with Sowell as the big-play, senior leader.

“I think the rest of that room has got to continue to step up and make plays, and I think when they’ve had the opportunity, they’ve shown (the ability) to make plays too,” Campbell said. “So, we’ll just continue to navigate that, the next-man-up, we’ll be ready to roll.”

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football injury report, who’s missing vs Wisconsin?