There’s been some progress, but three straight losses are still three straight losses.

Penn State couldn’t stop the bleeding last week, falling 31-23 to USC in front of a record Beaver Stadium crowd of 114,419.

As I mentioned before, it’s become clear that the roster was overrated coming into the season. The talent simply isn’t where it needs to be, and it’s going to take time for head coach Matt Campbell to rebuild it. That was especially apparent on the defensive side of the ball last week.

Still, there have been coaching decisions over the past few weeks that could have helped offset some of those talent deficiencies.

The Wisconsin loss stemmed from a mix of poor execution and an overly conservative approach aimed at protecting a lead instead of closing out the game.

The Northwestern loss looked like a failure in both preparation and effort. And last week, the defensive game plan simply wasn’t effective.

Heading into last week’s matchup with the Trojans, one of Penn State’s top defensive priorities had to be generating pressure on elite pocket passer Jayden Maiava. Instead, on several critical third downs, the Nittany Lions rushed only three linemen and dropped the rest into coverage.

The issue with that approach was obvious: without pressure, Maiava had clean pockets to operate from, and he methodically picked the defense apart. He finished with 301 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

The numbers made it clear that Maiava’s completion percentage drops significantly when he’s pressured, yet PSU rarely forced him out of his comfort zone.

There’s no question the Penn State coaching staff knows far more football than I ever will, but it still felt like a puzzling decision to allow a quarterback of Maiava’s caliber to stand in the pocket without pressure, especially in that environment where a big sack or a turnover would’ve ignited the “white out” crowd.

I want to reiterate that I believe Coach Campbell is an outstanding head coach, and I’m confident he’ll have Penn State back to being competitive. However, the difficult position he was put in by being hired so late in the cycle is clearly taking its toll. Both the team and the staff need a confidence boost, and there’s no better way to get that than by getting a win.

Unfortunately for Penn State, the path doesn’t get any easier this week. The Nittany Lions head to Ann Arbor to face a Michigan team that’s also reeling. There may not be two programs in the country more desperate for a win right now than Penn State and Michigan.

The Wolverines enter the matchup on a two‑game skid following a heartbreaking last‑second loss to Iowa and a 20-14 defeat at Minnesota. One significant advantage Michigan brings into this week, though, is that it’s coming off a bye. A week off can provide a much‑needed reset for a struggling team.

Whether the Wolverines used that time to fix some of their issues is one of the big questions that should be answered early in this game.

I think this matchup comes down to what team can find some rhythm on offense. Both offenses have struggled this season. Penn State ranks 65th in the country in scoring offense (30.5), 72nd in total offense (392.8), 52nd in passing offense (251.2), and 90th in rushing offense (141.7).

Michigan’s offense has been among the worst in the country this season. The Wolverines rank 101st in scoring offense (23.0), 120th in total offense (315.8), 117th in passing offense (180.8), and 98th in rushing offense (135.0). Highly touted five‑star quarterback Bryce Underwood has struggled in his sophomore campaign, throwing for just 881 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. His issues have been especially evident over the past two games, and even in Michigan’s early-season upset of then-No. 11 Oklahoma, he managed only 111 passing yards.

What still makes Underwood a real challenge, though, is his ability to run. He rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown in that Oklahoma game, and his mobility remains a matchup concern for Penn State. The Nittany Lions have not tackled well in recent weeks, and that’s a dangerous trend against a dual‑threat quarterback.

If PSU wants to get off the field consistently against Michigan’s offense, its tackling must improve this week.

Penn State still can’t run the football and I don’t think that’s is going to change this week against a Michigan run defense that is giving up just 94.6 rushing yards per game. Carson Hansen and James Peoples saw all the action last week and the result was the same.

I’d still like to see Quinton Martin get a chance to carry the load to see if he could give the run game a spark, but it looks like Coach Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser have him firmly in that third running back spot.

An encouraging sign from last week’s game was the improved play of veteran quarterback Rocco Becht. Becht looked a lot more confident and in rhythm, as he threw for 289 yards and a touchdown. I also liked how Becht spread the ball around to different guys with three players having four or more catches for 60-plus yards.

Chase Sowell led the way with four catches for 95 yards, with Brett Eskildsen hauling in four balls for 70 yards and tight end Andrew Rappleyea bringing in seven catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.

For the Nittany Lions to have a shot to win this ball game, Becht will need to be really good. Michigan’s pass offense is one of the best in the country statistically, giving up just 146.8 passing yards per game.

Las Vegas has Michigan as a seven-point favorite over Penn State.

The Nittany Lions have not had much luck beating Michigan at the “big house” when they have had an ultra talented roster, so I think it’s going to be an uphill climb yet again.

Underwood’s ability to run the football is going to be a big time issue for the Penn State defense and I ultimately think that’s going to be the difference in the game. Penn State is just too one-dimensional right now on offense to make up for the defense not being able to get key stops.

I think the only way PSU escapes Ann Arbor with a win is if it can force a few turnovers by being more aggressive on defense and forcing Underwood to throw the football more than he is comfortable with. Penn State is plus-five in the turnover margin department compared to minus-four for Michigan.

My pick is Michigan 21, Penn State 17.