Penn State built a cushion early and then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging on, beating Washington 28-25 for the biggest win of the Matt Campbell era so far.
What looked like a comfortable one by halftime turned into a tense finish. Penn State went into the break up 28-6, but Washington came out and scored the game’s final 19 points before the clock finally ran out on the comeback bid.
Rocco Becht helped set the tone for Penn State’s offense, finishing 16-for-27 for 240 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Carson Hansen also turned in the best game of his Penn State career, piling up 119 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Washington opened the game with a long, methodical drive that lasted nearly seven minutes. The Huskies covered 65 yards on 14 plays and ran for 53 yards on the possession, settling for a field goal. Even with the stop, Penn State had already allowed 21 more rushing yards than it gave up the previous week against Purdue.
Penn State answered quickly. The offense marched 75 yards in seven plays, capped by Carson Hansen’s 12-yard touchdown run after he had already ripped off a 20-yard gain on the drive.
After the defense forced its first stop, Penn State went right back to work and found the end zone again. The Nittany Lions covered 68 yards in 10 plays over 3:20, finishing with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Zay Robinson, who was a game-time decision according to Saturday’s Big Ten availability report.
Penn State kept the pressure on with another explosive play, as Becht connected with Chase Sowell on a 45-yard touchdown pass. Sowell was also listed as a game-time decision. Washington answered with a field goal on the next drive, but Penn State immediately stretched the lead again when Cam Wallace broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run.
That extra point made it 28-6, and that’s where things stood at halftime.
Washington trimmed the margin with a field goal early in the third quarter, then finally found the end zone 36:05 into the game on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Demond Williams Jr. to Baron Naone. On Washington’s next possession, Ibn McDaniels picked off his first pass in a Penn State uniform.
The Huskies still weren’t done. They added another touchdown on a 6-yard pass from Williams to Dezmen Roebuck, pulling even closer and turning the final stretch into a survival test for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions managed the last 7:40 with the ball to close it out.
Penn State now turns to Minnesota, with the next game set for either 7 or 7:30 p.m. in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14, on a network still to be determined. A win would give Penn State bowl eligibility for the 21st time in the last 22 seasons, with the only miss coming in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Need To Hear Franklin On Whats Going Too Far
Recent college football weekends have brought an uncomfortable reminder that the sports passion can cross a line, especially when it spills over from the field to the people around it. Reports of harassment aimed at coaches families have become part of the conversation, and it has put a sharper spotlight on the responsibilities that come with being a fan, even in places where the emotion runs deepest.
For Penn State, the issue lands with extra weight because James Franklin has long had to navigate the intensity that comes with a high-profile job in a demanding environment. The broader backdrop includes everything from coaching changes and player evaluation to the grind of attendance and travel that shapes the college football experience, but the central point is simpler: there is a difference between being invested and going too far, and Franklins view on where that line sits is worth hearing. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Suddenly Face A Scary Jack Ham Situation
Jack Ham was supposed to be part of the familiar soundtrack around Penn State football in Seattle, but instead the longtime radio color commentator and former NFL linebacker dealt with a medical emergency before the Nittany Lions game against Washington. He was transported to the University of Washington Medical Center for treatment, leaving a sudden and unsettling absence around a trip that was already far from home.
For Penn State fans, Ham is more than a voice on the broadcast. He is one of the programs enduring links to its history, and news like this lands hard because it arrives with so little detail attached. No further information about his condition has been released, which leaves the focus squarely on his recovery and on the concern that comes with waiting for an update. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Wasted A Breakout Night In Another Brutal Collapse
Shea Busch gave Penn State a much-needed spark at Pegula Ice Arena, scoring twice for the first goals of his college career in a game that looked like it might finally turn into a breakthrough night. Justin Poirier and Lev Katzin also chipped in offensively, and the Nittany Lions built a lead of two goals twice against Notre Dame, putting themselves in position to bank a result they badly needed.
Instead, the game slipped away in the kind of fashion that has haunted Penn State too often. Notre Dame answered with three straight goals to erase the advantage, then finished the comeback in overtime when Evan Werner scored the winner in a 5-4 loss. For a team that had enough offense to win, the collapse was the painful part, and it left another promising performance hanging without the payoff. [Read more 🡒]