Penn State’s Chase Sowell Expresses Belief in Rocco Becht After Northwestern Loss

As the final seconds ticked away inside Northwestern’s freshly minted Ryan Field on Friday night, the high expectations that accompanied Penn State into the 2026 season continued to unravel.

A humbling 34-13 loss to the Wildcats marked a second straight week of frustration for head coach Matt Campbell’s squad, leaving the Nittany Lions searching for answers in the immediate aftermath of a brutal start to Big Ten play.

Central to those questions is quarterback Rocco Becht, whose recent execution in the passing game has left points on the board and drive-sustaining plays unfulfilled. But crammed in a hallway outside the visiting team media room, wide receiver Chase Sowell didn’t waver in his trust for the signal-caller.

“I think it’s easy to say somebody’s not good from a couch or behind the TV, but the stats speak for itself,” Sowell said. “And seeing what he’s done, I mean, he’s played Iowa for three years straight, so the Big Ten is not a problem for him.”

Becht posted a 2-1 record as a starter against the Hawkeyes, including a 16-13 victory last season during Sowell’s lone year in Ames. The fifth-year quarterback spent four seasons at Iowa State before making the jump to Happy Valley, but he’s endured back-to-back subpar performances, completing a combined 38 of 70 passes (54%) for 357 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

Missed connections on deep shots, batted passes at the line of scrimmage and poor decision-making proved critical in deflating Penn State’s offensive momentum, compounding with a ground game that has struggled to establish an identity. Yet Sowell emphasized that Becht’s commitment behind the scenes remains absolute. 

“I know what he’s capable of, and I know how much he cares about this, and I know how much he cares about this place,” Sowell said. “Literally there 24/7, like in the building. One of the first guys there, one of the last guys to leave the building. Always, always, always trying to find ways to get us extra reps or find ways to get on the same page.”

For Sowell, the offense’s underlying issues require looking beyond a single player. While public discussion often highlights the ground attack, the wideout sees a broader collective effort that needs improvement.

“We all talk about the rushing game, but in my head, I’m thinking, what can I do to be better and help these guys out because I know how much time they’ve put into that, and I know how good our backs are,” Sowell said. “I know how good our line is. I know how good (offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser) is. So I want to be contributing to that and get our playmakers out in space, but yeah, I think it’s just little things for sure.”

The current losing skid is somewhat familiar — the Nittany Lions lost six straight games last season against Big Ten opponents, while Iowa State lost four straight conference games in 2025. But for Sowell, he’s experienced the lowest of lows.

“I’ve been on the bottom of the barrel,” Sowell said. “I was kind of telling these guys like, bro, I’ve been on a 1-11 team, a 2-10 team, so I know what it is like to be on a bad team, and we don’t have a bad team at all. But what we’re playing right now is not the standard.”

With the toughest stretch of the schedule still ahead, including matchups with USC, Michigan and Washington, returning to the win column won’t be easy. As Penn State prepares to host the Trojans in the White Out, Sowell said belief in Becht remains intact internally.

“I have a bunch of confidence in him,” Sowell said. “I mean, he’s proven time and time again that he is what he’s capable of, so we’re not tripping. I always tell him, bro, go out there and just have fun, just play, just be you.”