Penn State heads to Seattle on Saturday with a familiar opponent across from it and a few key personnel questions of its own. The Nittany Lions and Washington have already met four times, most notably in Penn State’s 35-28 win in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl. The Huskies still haven’t beaten Penn State, and that could change this weekend.
At quarterback, both teams bring different looks. Penn State’s Rocco Becht threw for 175 yards and a touchdown against Purdue, then added 27 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries. His Big Ten road outings at Northwestern and Michigan were shakier, though, with two touchdown passes and four interceptions in those losses.
Washington has leaned on two quarterbacks, Demond Williams and Elijah Brown. Williams has given the Huskies a dual-threat edge, completing 65.8 percent of his passes while throwing nine touchdowns and running for two more.
The receiving groups tilt toward Penn State, especially if Chase Sowell and Koby Howard are ready to return after missing the Purdue game. Andrew Rappleyea has also been a steady target, with 23 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington has its own playmakers on the outside. Dezmen Roebuck leads the team in receptions, while Chris Lawson has surged over the last three games with 26 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns in that span.
The secondary could be one of the most active areas on the field. Penn State’s Zion Tracy, Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson have combined for 16 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Washington counters with Alex McLaughlin and Rylon Dillard-Allen. McLaughlin earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after his nine-tackle outing against Nebraska, highlighted by an interception return for a touchdown. Dillard-Allen has posted 39 tackles, three interceptions and two pass breakups.
The rest of the matchup is close to a dead heat on paper. Running backs are even.
The offensive line is even. The defensive line is even.
Linebackers are even. Coaching is even.
In Other News...
Penn State Players Just Got Pat Krafts Message Before Washington
Penn State players walked into a familiar kind of week with a new reminder from above. In the wake of James Franklins firing, athletic director Pat Kraft gave the team Own the outcome T-shirts, a simple message meant to keep the focus on what comes next as the Nittany Lions prepare for Washington.
Kraft has been unusually visible around the football program, showing up at games and making his support for players hard to miss. With the season moving on and the next test already waiting, the message was less about the past than the responsibility that still sits in front of the locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Could Still Shape The CFP Race In A Frustrating Way
Penn States season has already taken a sharp turn from the expectations that followed an AP preseason ranking of No. 18. A four-game losing streak pushed the Nittany Lions to 4-4 before they steadied themselves with a win over Purdue in Week 9, and now the path ahead looks a little more manageable than the one they just navigated.
That softer finish matters beyond State College, because an 8-4 Penn State team could still end up shaping the College Football Playoff conversation in a frustrating way. USC, ranked No. 20 in the first CFP rankings, has its own rsum-building stretch ahead with games against Indiana and UCLA, and a 9-3 Trojans finish would look a lot better if it includes a win over Penn State. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Still Has A Koby Howard Problem Fans Didn't Expect
Koby Howards season has become one of the quieter frustrations around Penn State, and it is starting to linger well past the point when anyone expected a second-year wide receiver to be back in the mix. Howard has been sidelined since Week 3 with an undisclosed injury, and by Week 10 he still had not returned to game action. Head coach Matt Campbell has said Howards work in practice has been very limited, which is never a promising sign this far into the fall.
The uncertainty is the part that stings most for Penn State, because this is no longer a short-term absence with a clean timetable attached. Howard has been listed as questionable for upcoming games, but the available signs point to a recovery that is moving slowly, if it is moving at all. For a team that expected to have him available by now, the wait has turned into a real roster concern. [Read more 🡒]