The first betting line for Penn State’s trip to Washington has the Huskies sitting as a 1.5-point favorite for the Saturday, Nov. 7 kickoff in Seattle at 3:30 ET.
That number comes with the usual home-field wrinkle: the home team is generally treated as worth three points, which would make Penn State the side that oddsmakers are leaning toward by that standard.
Either way, this looks like one of those games that can go either direction. Neither program has had the kind of season it expected after entering the year ranked in the preseason, with Penn State at No. 18 and Washington just ahead at No.
- Both teams stumbled early in conference play - Penn State dropped its first four Big Ten games, while Washington lost its first three.
Lately, though, each side has started to settle in. Penn State finally got in the win column with a convincing 31-17 victory over Purdue last weekend. Washington has been even hotter, taking down Purdue and Nebraska on the road in back-to-back games.
The cross-country travel adds another layer here, and Penn State’s recent history with those trips has been a mixed bag since the Big Ten expanded before the 2024 season.
The Nittany Lions pulled off an epic overtime win over USC in the Coliseum in 2024. But the next time they went back to Los Angeles in 2025, things went sideways fast. Penn State was stunned by UCLA, a result that marked the beginning of the end of the James Franklin era.
A week later, Penn State was upset again by Northwestern, which led to Franklin’s firing.
Now it’s Matt Campbell leading the program, and if Penn State can get past Washington to move to 5-4, the mood around the team should be in a much better place as November continues.
In Other News...
Penn State Faces A Levi Haines Decision That Could Change Everything
Levi Haines is back in the Penn State wrestling conversation at exactly the right time, with the recent World Champion at 79 KG now waiting on eligibility approval under the new five-for-five rule. Cael Sanderson said Haines is attending classes and preparing to wrestle if he is cleared, which gives the Nittany Lions a potentially major boost as they get ready for the season.
Penn State opens against Bloomsburg at Rec Hall, and Haines status is one of the biggest early storylines around the program. A decision on whether he can compete this season would shape both the lineup and the ceiling for a team that already expects to be in the national title mix. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Showed A Different Response When This Big Ten Game Got Ugly
Penn States trip to Purdue had the feel of a game that could have slipped away early, especially after miscues and missed chances kept the pressure on. Rocco Becht helped steady things with a touchdown, and Carson Hansen added a rushing score as the offense found enough rhythm to keep the Nittany Lions moving in a Big Ten matchup that had its rough patches.
Purdue briefly grabbed momentum with a blocked punt that turned into a touchdown, but Penn States defense answered by tightening up and allowing only three points the rest of the way. Matt Campbell pointed to the penalties and the way his team responded, and the bigger takeaway for Penn State was simple: when the game got ugly, it found a way to settle in and finish. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Next Home Test Just Put More Focus On This Season
Penn States next home date now has a little more clarity, with the Nov. 7 matchup against Washington set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. It is another afternoon slot in a season that has already bounced around the TV schedule, and it gives the Nittany Lions a familiar stage as they try to steady a year that has not gone the way they wanted.
The timing also adds a bit more weight to a game that already carries some intrigue. Penn State enters at 4-4, Washington comes in at 5-3, and both teams are still looking to put a cleaner finish on uneven seasons. With kickoff now locked in, the focus shifts fully to what this one means on the field, and how much each side can still salvage in November. [Read more 🡒]