Penn State’s win over Purdue last week didn’t just pad the record - it hinted at what this offense could look like if the pieces finally start clicking. Koby Howard and Chase Sowell are back, the running game showed real life, and the Nittany Lions controlled the ball for 43 minutes in a performance that doubled as a statement on both sides of the ball.
That said, Washington is walking into this one with a different kind of problem. The Huskies got a spark from Desmond Williams after he replaced Elijah Brown at Nebraska, but the offense still managed only 267 yards, its lowest output of the season.
The ground game was especially thin, producing just 32 rushing yards, and the numbers tell the story of a unit that has been too easy to predict. Washington’s running game ranks last in the Big Ten, the offensive line has already allowed 26 sacks, and Chris Lawson has had to carry a heavy load with 12 catches last week and 638 yards on the season.
On the other side, Penn State’s defense took a meaningful step forward against a quality offense. The Lions got only one sack - their first in Big Ten play, which is alarming - but they were in the quarterback’s face all game.
Even more impressive was the work against the run: just 33 rushing yards allowed to an offense that had been among the Big Ten’s top five on the ground, and only 2.2 yards per carry surrendered. That kind of physical showing matters.
Washington’s defense, meanwhile, just found a way to survive in Lincoln after giving up 29.8 points across its previous four games. Safety Alex McLaughlin delivered the biggest play of the night, returning an interception for the game-winning score.
He and Ryan Dillard-Allen are tied for second in the Big Ten with three interceptions apiece. Still, the broader picture is rough for the Huskies, who sit in the bottom half of every major defensive category.
Penn State, by contrast, is first against the pass.
Special teams is the one area where Washington holds the edge. Penn State’s kicking and punting issues have become impossible to ignore.
The blocked punt touchdown against Purdue summed up the trouble, Ryan Barker missed more field goals in that game (2) than he did all last season, and Nathan Tiyce is stuck near the bottom of the Big Ten in punting. Washington has had its own regression there - Robles has slipped a bit this year - but he’s still 10 of 12 overall, including 7 of 8 from beyond 30 yards, and he has four 50-plus field goals over the last two seasons.
Hunter Green has also been a weapon, ranking second in the conference at 48.1 yards per punt and putting 15 kicks inside the 20. Against Nebraska, he quietly helped swing field position by dropping five of eight punts inside the range.
The coaching and intangibles section leans Washington’s way, too. Matt Campbell already has more Big Ten wins than James Franklin had last year, though Franklin was gone after seven games.
Penn State looked sharp coming out of the bye, but this is a much stiffer test of whether Campbell has truly steadied things. On the Washington side, edd Fisch has navigated a difficult follow-up to Kalen DeBoer’s departure after a national runner-up finish in 2023.
The Huskies have reached bowl games in back-to-back seasons and improved by three wins last year, but they’ve also dropped three straight after opening 4-0.
The overall edge still belongs to Penn State in the areas that matter most. The Nittany Lions have the better offense and the better defense, while Washington’s advantage comes on special teams and, on paper, in the coaching/intangibles category. Prediction record: 6-2.
In Other News...
Penn State Just Got A Bigger Problem For Washington Trip
Washingtons quarterback situation is suddenly worth watching closely heading into Penn States trip west, because Jedd Fisch said Demond Williams is expected to start if he feels healthy. Williams has dealt with injuries and uneven play throughout the 2026 season, but he also showed why Washington wants him back on the field when he returned late in a recent game and helped finish off a win.
For Penn State, that changes the shape of the matchup in a hurry. Williams has already been through enough this season to make his availability a real week-to-week question, yet his presence gives Washington a different ceiling and a more dangerous look than the backup plan would offer. The Nittany Lions will be preparing for the possibility that the Huskies get their quarterback back at close to full strength, even if the final call still hinges on how he feels before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Biggest Injury Concern Just Got More Interesting
Penn States injury report brought a little more clarity heading into its matchup with Washington, with left tackle Malachi Goodman and receiver Chase Sowell both listed as probable. Goodman has been a steady presence up front all season, starting all eight games and leading the Nittany Lions in offensive snaps, so his status matters well beyond one lineup note. Defensive tackle Armstrong Nnodim is also probable, giving the team a better look on both sides of the ball as the week moves along.
Koby Howard is the one name still worth watching, though, after being listed as questionable. For a Penn State offense that has leaned on continuity in the trenches and depth at receiver, the final call there could shape how the staff approaches its options against Washington. The update leaves the Nittany Lions in a better spot than they might have been, but not quite out of the woods yet. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Just Gave Penn State Fans A New Reason To Hope
Matt Campbells approach against Purdue offered Penn State fans something they have not seen enough of this season: a little more edge. The fake field goal was the kind of call that immediately changes the feel of a game, and it fit with a broader willingness to take chances instead of settling into the safer, more conservative script that had defined much of the year.
Campbell also showed he was willing to trust his offense in a spot where most coaches would think twice, going for it on fourth down from his own 28-yard line. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time waiting for the Nittany Lions to play with more conviction, those choices mattered, and they left a real question hanging over the rest of the season: was this a one-game shift, or the start of a bolder Penn State identity? [Read more 🡒]