Penn State Defeats Purdue 31-17, Securing First Big Ten Win of 2026

Penn State beats Purdue 31-17 at Beaver Stadium

Penn State defeated Purdue 31-17 on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.

The victory marked Penn State's first Big Ten win of the 2026 season and the first conference win under head coach Matt Campbell.

Penn State snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.

Cam Wallace led the Nittany Lions' rushing attack, recording 135 yards on the ground and scoring a touchdown.

The Nittany Lions accumulated 31 points while limiting Purdue to 17.

Purdue coach Barry Odom said the Boilermakers were unable to establish their run game despite a bye week.

Odom added that the team will focus on improving execution in upcoming contests.

Penn State's performance highlighted a renewed run game and identified a potential lead running back for the program.

The win gave Penn State its first conference victory of the year and moved the program beyond a recent slump.