r/CFB • u/CFB_Referee /r/CFB • 14d ago

Postgame Thread [Postgame Thread] Northwestern Defeats Penn State 34-13

Box Score provided by ESPN

Team 1 2 3 4 T
Penn State 0 7 0 6 13
Northwestern 10 14 7 3 34
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128

u/Justanother_0 Iowa State Cyclones • Sickos 14d ago edited 14d ago

Rocco has been steadily regressing as a player since the 2025 Cincinnati game. I was doubtful that he'd make a big improvement this year but if you told me that he'd be playing like this I'd think that you were nuts.

Northwestern meanwhile is looking like a dark horse contender for the playoffs and I am not kidding. If they go 2-1 against Oregon, Iowa, and Ohio State, then they nab a spot in the field with this kind of play.

26

u/voodoohounds Nebraska Cornhuskers 14d ago

That’s a big if. But If, then sure.

2

u/NobodyTellPoeDameron Northwestern Wildcats • Sickos 14d ago

When will then be now?

17

u/Incontinent_koala Iowa State Cyclones • Pop-Tarts Bowl 14d ago

Brock was making freshman mistakes in his senior year. People say Rocco was concussed against Cincinnati but I just don't think Campbell can develop QB's.

11

u/farmer15erf Iowa State Cyclones • Hateful 8 14d ago

Brock was a better quarterback and gamer

14

u/MaceDestroyers Iowa State Cyclones 14d ago

I'm more in the camp that Tom Mannings offense got figured out Purdy's senior season and it was downhill from there but the regression with Rocco is showing that either he can't handle the advanced concepts of running the offense or that Campbell is poorly teaching those concepts.

10

u/rosshm2018 Iowa State Cyclones 14d ago

It will forever be a mystery to me how a college team with Brock Purdy, Breece Hall, two NFL tight ends, an NFL receiver, and one of the best defenses in the Big 12, went 7-6.

6

u/SaltyTurdLicker Virginia Tech • NC State 14d ago

Sounds like a coaching issue…

13

u/olbleedyeyes Iowa State Cyclones • Hateful 8 14d ago

It genuinely sucks to see him play this bad.

Like in the past he could at least move past his shitty play and make up for it. He's just broken now.

6

u/AccelR8 Iowa State Cyclones • Fiesta Bowl 14d ago

Cincinnati was the game where he got his head taken off and came back in right?

3

u/Justanother_0 Iowa State Cyclones • Sickos 14d ago

Yeah. I have a hard time believing that that hit didn’t have at least some impact on his ability to play, though that doesn’t exactly excuse the coaching staff either

4

u/gatorbois Florida Gators 14d ago

Big assumption that they could even go 4-0 against MSU, Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois, let alone 2-1 against those three lol

9

u/Glad_Ad_6989 Minnesota Golden Gophers • Marching Band 14d ago

They’re going at worst 2-2 against those four, and frankly, I don’t like Minnesota’s odds either. Illinois is the only one I’m not sure about