Penn State had every reason to feel uneasy late against Washington.
A 28-3 lead had already shrunk to something far less comfortable, and when the Huskies trimmed it to 28-25, the ghosts of those earlier collapses had to be floating around in the background. But this time, Penn State held on. The offense never scored after halftime, yet the Nittany Lions did just enough on both sides of the ball to escape Seattle with a 28-25 win in the program’s first trip there in more than 100 years.
That alone says something about where this team is now.
For much of the first four Big Ten games, Penn State was getting buried under the same questions: was this just a Big 12 team trying to survive in the Big Ten, and was the talent gap simply too much? Those doubts made sense at the time. They don’t look nearly as sharp now.
This is a different team than the one that gave up 413 rushing yards to Northwestern. It’s also a different team than the one that held Purdue to under 100 rushing yards. The improvement has been obvious, and it showed again against Washington.
Carson Hansen crossed 100 yards for the first time in Big Ten play, and Matt Campbell said he and his staff adjusted the scheme to better fit what Hansen can do behind the offensive line. Hansen has also scored in five straight games.
The defense keeps taking steps forward, too. It’s no longer just Tony Rojas or Audavion Collins or Daryus Dixson popping up with the big play. Zion Tracy and Jamison Patton have settled in, Ibn McDaniels keeps drawing praise, and true freshman Josiah Zayas is playing beyond his years.
Chase Sowell has been another welcome piece. He’s played in the PAC 12, CUSA, Big 12 and now the Big Ten, and the moment has never looked too large for him.
Up front, the offensive line has come a long way from the stretch when physicality was a problem. That group has raised its level, and the difference has shown up in the way Penn State can now control games.
The bye week appears to have mattered, too.
It’s never easy to tell how much a team can really fix during a break, but Penn State seemed to use its time well. Two weeks removed from the bye, the Nittany Lions look more physical, more poised, more patient and more resilient. Their toughness has improved, and so has their situational football.
Cam Wallace has emerged as a solid RB1 alongside Carson Hansen. Chase Sowell keeps elevating his play. Rocco Becht has continued to look like the quarterback he was billed as coming in.
There just aren’t many areas where Penn State hasn’t gotten better.
The clearest sign came in the way the Nittany Lions handled the clock and protected the ball. Last week against Purdue, they possessed it for 43 minutes. Against Washington, they had it for 31:14, but the timing of those possessions mattered just as much as the total.
The final drive told the story. After Washington scored to make it a three-point game, Penn State chewed 7:40 off the clock with a 14-play, 70-yard march. It didn’t end in points, but it may have been the most important sequence of the night.
Becht picked up two huge first downs with his legs, including a 3rd-and-6 near midfield that set up a big Carson Hansen run. He also converted 4th-and-1 from the Washington 3 to effectively put the game away.
Penn State finished with three drives of 70 or more yards, two drives of 10 or more plays, and no turnovers for the second straight game. The defense helped by tackling well in space, forcing Washington quarterback Demond Williams into throws and making him uncomfortable throughout the night.
If Penn State keeps winning the hidden battle - stringing together first downs, holding the ball and staying clean with turnovers - it should keep giving itself a chance to finish strong.
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 🡒]