On the same day that Penn State was rocked by news that their star sophomore wide receiver, Koby Howard, would be sidelined for a few weeks, Wisconsin received word that Malachi Coleman could make it back for Penn State. This is a significant development for the Badgers' breakout star, who wasn't able to play last week against Eastern Michigan.
Coleman is listed on the initial availability report ahead of the Penn State game as "Questionable." That certainly doesn't mean he can go; it's a whole lot closer to going than "OUT." A designation that many thought he would have heading into conference play.
The questionable tag was also used for Abu Sama III, who told reporters he's 100% going to play. It was also used for Emerson Mandell, who doesn't have a new injury and was able to play last week against Eastern Michigan. This adds some extra excitement for Coleman; if those two are questionable, then maybe questionable is closer to playing than it appears at first blush.
Last week, there were no injury reports, as it was a non-conference game and they weren't required. It was hard to know how close he truly was to playing against EMU. Badgers beat writer Colten Bartholomew reported that until Saturday, the "door wasn't officially closed." So, he may have also been questionable last week.
So, depending on how you read the report, it's either more or less encouraging. That being said, it does appear that his injury was a concussion, and now, unless he's exhibiting concussion symptoms, he should be cleared and back in the fold.
Malachi Coleman may be the Wisconsin receiver with the highest ceiling
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He's basically missed two games since his breakout game against Notre Dame. He was injured early on in the Western Illinois game, and he never came back. That Irish game has fans excited about his potential and ability in this offense.
His play against Notre Dame turned heads, even outside the program. He had four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. Yet, his route running went a little viral after that game.
Malachi Coleman is doing this from the Slot at 6-5 pic.twitter.com/63nl57k4Nc
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) September 7, 2026
The Badgers would love to have Coleman back for Penn State and add him to the weapons they've been developing. He's got the type of juice that Wisconsin will need to pull off the upset and clearly has chemistry with Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph.
Coleman has only (really) played in one game, and yet he's the third-leading receiver on the team. Tyrell Henry is ahead of the pack by a long way after his record-breaking performance last week. Henry has 293 yards, with Chris Brooks Jr. behind him at 168 yards, but then it's Coleman at 76 yards.
This is how much of an impact Coleman can make, and it also forces Penn State to pay attention to another wideout for the Badgers. It's turning into a room that's hard to guard; even Eugene Hilton Jr. has proven he can make some noise. We haven't even really seen what Shamar Rigby can do either. So, defensive backs beware: this room is a problem, and having Coleman back would be huge.
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