Penn State heads to Seattle on Saturday with a road record that still leaves plenty to prove. The Nittany Lions are 1-2 away from home this season, and even the win over Temple in Philadelphia doesn’t seem to move the needle much as they prepare for their Big Ten matchup with Washington.
Matt Campbell’s team enters at 4-4 overall and 1-4 in conference play, but it does have a chance to stack back-to-back Big Ten wins against the Huskies, who are 5-3 and 2-3.
The biggest question for Penn State is whether the offense can keep the balance it showed against Purdue. The Lions rolled up 269 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, then added 175 passing yards and a touchdown through the air. That kind of mix gives quarterback Rocco Becht a much better setup to work with.
There’s also a chance Penn State gets some help back at receiver. Chase Sowell and Koby Howard, the team’s most dangerous wideouts, could return against Washington.
Another name to watch is Cam Wallace. The reserve running back had the best game of his career in the win over Purdue, going for 135 yards and a touchdown. If Penn State leans on the run again, Wallace figures to be a major part of the plan.
Washington, meanwhile, brings a quarterback who can change the game in a hurry. Demond Williams gave the Huskies a lift in relief against Nebraska on Saturday, hitting Chris Lawson on a 25-yard touchdown pass with 90 seconds left to put Washington ahead for good. Williams is dangerous both throwing and running; last year, he passed for 25 touchdowns and added six more scores on the ground.
Penn State has also been aggressive in key spots, converting 12 of 15 fourth-down tries. That approach should stay in the game plan.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans May Notice One Strange Thing About Seattle Tickets
Penn States first Big Ten win under Matt Campbell gave the program a needed lift, but the attention around the next trip is turning to something a little less on-field: the cost of getting into Seattle. Ticket prices for the upcoming game against Washington are sitting in the $53 to $75 range, a number shaped by Washingtons recent play and the fact that the matchup is on the road in Seattle.
Even with those prices landing in the same neighborhood as Washingtons final home game against Indiana, attendance is expected to be light for the Penn State game. That makes the market feel a bit unusual for a high-profile nonconference trip, with the price tag not exactly matching the level of local demand the Huskies might normally expect. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Could Be Headed For A Bowl Matchup Fans Didn't Expect
Baylors turnaround under interim coach Joe Klanderman has put the Bears back into the bowl picture, and that in turn has created a few possible postseason paths that could matter to Penn State fans. After beating UCF to move to 5-3, Baylor needs one more win to lock up bowl eligibility, and the projections around the program have started to widen, with several outlets floating a range of opponents from Missouri and Florida to FAU, Army and Penn State.
For the Nittany Lions, the interesting part is not just that Baylor has re-entered the conversation, but that the matchup options are still unsettled enough to leave room for a surprise. Baylors recent form and the players driving it have made the Bears a more credible bowl draw than they looked earlier in the year, and the challenge they could present would depend heavily on which version of the team shows up in December. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Snap Counts Hint At A Sudden Role Shift
Penn States latest snap counts against Purdue offered a clearer look at how the staff is sorting through its rotation as injuries and game flow continue to shape who is on the field. The numbers showed changes in playing time on both sides of the ball, with several offensive and defensive pieces taking on different workloads than they had earlier in the season, while Cam Wallaces rushing production and Yvan Kemajous defensive presence stood out in the box score.
Amid those shifts, Matt Campbell singled out freshman Amarion Jackson for praise, a noteworthy sign that the staff is comfortable expanding his role as the season moves along. For a team still adjusting week to week, the snap distribution suggests the depth chart is anything but settled, and the next round of game reps should reveal whether these changes are temporary fixes or the start of something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]