ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

All-Big Ten outside linebacker Navorro Bowman could miss Penn State's game against Syracuse on Saturday with a groin injury.

Bowman missed a week of training camp with a strained groin and reaggravated it in the first half of Penn State's opener against Akron. He didn't return in the second half.

"It's still up in the air," Penn State head coach Joe Paterno said Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches' teleconference.

Bowman won't participate in most of practice Tuesday afternoon and will continue to be monitored.

"These things are tricky," Paterno said. "He obviously can't do some things right now because he'll aggravate it again. Let's let it simmer down. ... That's a medical decision and they'll tell me when he can play. But right now, we have our fingers crossed and we're hoping he might be ready Saturday."

Bowman led Penn State in both tackles (106) and tackles for loss (16.5) last season, to go along with four sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble recovery. If he can't go Saturday, redshirt sophomore Nate Stupar would get the start.

The 6-foot-1, 236-pound Stupar had a team-high 12 tackles, including a sack, in the win against Akron.

"Stupar's learning," Paterno said. "He's going to be real good one of these days. Every game, he'll get better. Every practice, he's getting better. So that's where we are. We're going to miss Bowman. Bowman, if he can't play, is a big loss."