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By Andy Stine
astine@altoonamirror.com
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Chalk one up to the unthinkable with Penn State blowing a 17-0 lead in the first half and a 20-10 lead with eight minutes to go.
Yes, the defense could not hold on to the lead, but it all stemmed back to the offense's troubles in Saturday's 24-20 loss to Wisconsin.
In Rocco Becht's first loss as a Nittany Lion quarterback, he went 12 for 29 for 129 yards and an interception.
"Our defense was playing well," Becht said. "Props to those guys for making plays and having our backs. We just have to continue to have theirs."
Nits coach Matt Campbell said he could answer the question better on assessing Becht after watching the game film, but his first impressions were on the positive side.
"I thought Rocco made some tremendous plays and kept us in the football game," Campbell said. "I thought some of our issues were probably more so with some protection things."
As for the interception that Wisconsin defensive lineman Charles Perkins came up with?
"That ball was tipped. It wasn't a bad or poor decision," Campbell said.
Becht was a little harder on himself.
"When you're up 17-0, you feel like you have the game in hand," Becht said. "At the end of the day, we didn't do enough on offense.
"I have to be better for this offense and this team. I can't put us in scenarios where our backs are backed up."
One of the obvious signs of a passing game that was close to non-existent at times was the loss of Koby Howard earlier last week. Howard is expected to miss several games.
Chase Sowell led the receivers with six catches for 70 yards. In fact, he was the only wideout that caught a ball. The other receptions went to tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and running backs Quinton Martin Jr. and James Peoples.
"I'd be a fool to sit up here and say we didn't miss Koby, but I also have great belief in the rest of our guys," Campbell said.
Becht said the team still had a good week of practice leading up to Saturday's meeting with Wisconsin, which was the first time the Badgers beat the Lions since 2011.
"If we thought this week was good, we have to make it even better," Becht said.
The redshirt senior made it clear that the season isn't over.
"I know a lot of guys are bummed about this loss, but we have to keep our heads up and move on," he said.