How Chase Sowell Is Keeping Penn State Motivated Amid Losing Streak

Penn State’s preseason goals are gone. Any lingering hopes of a Big Ten championship run or a College Football Playoff berth dissolved over the last month with four consecutive losses.

For a program accustomed to national relevance, sitting at 3-4 overall on a grueling losing streak and searching for a first conference win on Halloween for a second consecutive year is unusual. Yet inside the walls of the Lasch Building, wide receiver Chase Sowell isn’t letting the Nittany Lions unravel yet.

“I think going into the bye week, you have to reevaluate,” Sowell said. “You got to look back at it, to see what we did well, what we did bad, and hammer on the things that we did really well, and then also get the things that we did poorly, get corrected, make tweaks.”

While the season’s trajectory has spiraled down the drain during head coach Matt Campbell’s first season, Sowell has quietly put together an impressive campaign. Through seven games, the fifth-year target has emerged as the definitive focal point of the offense, hauling in 34 receptions for 510 yards and three touchdowns. His numbers place him among the most productive wideouts in the conference, highlighted by a career-best 11-catch, 151-yard performance against Michigan.

Even when battling through injuries and absorbing heavy hits, Sowell has produced. He’s also been an emotional catalyst for a room consisting of several young talents. 

“The biggest thing right now is just focusing on us,” Sowell said. “A lot of things are being said and a lot of things are being tossed up in the air with how the season’s going.”

The inward focus has turned Sowell into a guiding voice inside the locker room. Rather than pressing under the weight of expectations with each mounting loss, the veteran is challenging his teammates to finish the season strong.

“What I was telling our guys is, it’s a child’s game,” Sowell said. “It’s a regular football game. There’s still a 100-yard field. Still got a pigskin ball. You still got your chains and all that stuff. So nothing changes. You shouldn’t feel pressure. You should still have fun with this. You should still enjoy it.

“You know you’re still playing for one of the greatest universities in the world, so I think it’s an amazing opportunity to show who really wants this and who really is doing it for, not the result, but because they love football and they love this place.”

With the postseason out of reach, Sowell is urging the roster to reframe how they measure success for the remainder of the 2026 season.

“Are you here for the wins or are you here because you’re trying to be better, you’re trying to do something, make a statement, trying to be remembered for something?” Sowell said. “It doesn’t have to be just wins that you get remembered by, and I tell our guys that every time.”

Sowell, who previously transferred from East Carolina to Colorado to Iowa State before landing in Happy Valley, said he’s relieved to not have to deal with that stress during his final college season. To those on the roster who may be planning a departure after the year concludes, Sowell reminded his peers that execution on the field is still important.

“Even if you are transferring or thinking about transferring, we’re not in a position for any of our guys to get picked up by anybody,” Sowell said. “So, your mindset shouldn’t even be on the transfer portal. You should be thinking about making some plays to even get looked at or get those opportunities because the opportunities are the same everywhere.”

Ultimately, Sowell still wants to leave a mark during his lone season as a Nittany Lion. He referenced a preseason pact with wide receivers Koby Howard, Brett Eskildsen, Amarion Jackson and Zay Robinson to reshape the room after several down seasons.

“No matter what, like I’m gonna help change the narrative of the receivers,” Sowell said. “No matter what, we’re gonna do everything in our power to change the narrative because this is gonna be one season that we’re gonna remember for the rest of our lives, and whether it goes good or bad, I want to have the memories that I know our room changed history.”