Following Penn State’s 46-11 win over Nevada on Saturday at Beaver Stadium, USC transfer wide receiver Kyron Hudson took some time to soak everything in.
He sung the alma mater with his Nittany Lion teammates, spoke to head coach James Franklin and — not without some struggle — rang the team’s victory bell before heading through the tunnel to the locker room as one of the last players off the field.
Who can blame him? After six catches, 89 yards and a touchdown, all of which came in the first 35 minutes of the game, Hudson gave the 106,915 fans in attendance, and those watching at home, something they haven’t had in a long time.
“It was fun. I would say it was fun — the chemistry, it was there,” Hudson said after the game. “Just going out there and playing with my brothers for the first time.”
No position group on the team, and possibly in the country, has received more scrutiny over the last two seasons than Penn State’s wide receiver corps. From inconsistent play, questionable character moments and postseason collapses, the room has been a glaring weakness on an otherwise championship-caliber roster.
Penn State overhauled its group this offseason, bringing in Hudson, Trebor Peña from Syracuse and Devonte Ross from Troy. Hudson led the team in yards, Peña led in receptions and Devonte Ross recorded his first catch as a Nittany Lion.
“Hudson looks very mature. He looks very poised,” Franklin said. “Obviously, Peña did some really good things. We’ll continue to get Ross involved as well … overall, really good game one, but we gotta take a step.”
Franklin wants to see improvement when Penn State hosts Florida International next week, but for most fans, the Week 1 showing was a breath of fresh air. After a long offseason with the ever-present wide receiver uncertainty, expectations were met and narratives were reversed.
With the running game showing uncharacteristic struggles, the receivers stole the show offensively with optimism-inspiring performances out of the gate.
Though Hudson arrived in the summer and had little time to learn the offense — not an easy one to master — and build chemistry with quarterback Drew Allar, he seamlessly assimilated into the starting rotation. According to Hudson, it’s the result of many hours together.
“Just doing the overtime work, the study, the watching film together, things off the field like going to dinner,” Hudson said. “So just building that chemistry is super important.”
Hudson was known for his low drop rate through four seasons with the Trojans, and he showed why on Saturday with a sliding touchdown grab and toe-tap grab along the sideline.
Peña, who arrived after the winter transfer portal window, also cited chemistry with Allar, saying he’s someone he knows he can trust.
“That’s what you want out of a quarterback, a leader, and somebody who will put it on the line for us.”
Within the bowels of Beaver Stadium, Peña and Allar’s lockers are next to each other, not by coincidence. The two share conversations “every day.”
For Peña, his ability to find soft spots in defenses allowed him to get open with regularity at Syracuse, where he led the ACC in receptions (84) in 2024. The level of competition is expected to increase once Big Ten play starts, but he’s confident that success will continue.
“I think it’s just being prepared,” Peña said. “I think the coaches did a great job with the game plan, getting us in positions to get open, and they kind of just give it, give it to us from there. It’s our job to make the play.”
It remains to be seen how Penn State’s wide receivers will fare against tougher competition down the road, but the early returns are promising. Franklin prioritized proven production in the transfer portal, varying from previous seasons where newcomers were less solidified.
“It’s my first game here, but at the end of the day, football is just football, so you kind of just got to go out there and play how you play,” Peña said. “I’m an older guy, so I’ve done it before.”
In the grand scheme of the season, production in Week 1 against a Group of Five opponent doesn’t mean Penn State’s problems are completely solved. But Peña’s seven catches and Hudon’s six, which came in less than three full quarters, are more than any Penn State wide receiver had in any one game last season. The Nittany Lions’ leading receiver, Harrison Wallace III, peaked at five, while Omari Evans (4), Liam Clifford (3) and Julian Fleming (2) trailed behind.
If the Nittany Lions truly have figured out the wide receiver position, the rest of college football could be in big trouble.
