On Saturday November 7, Penn State will be on the road to take on Washington. After snapping its losing streak with a home win against Purdue, Penn State now prepares for its longest road trip of the season. Penn State will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face Washington, a team who is coming off a thrilling fourth-quarter rally on the road to beat Nebraska a week ago, which the question stands, can Penn State pick up a hard-fought victory on the road against a Huskies team that has had some rough stretches on offense, or will it be a long flight home to Happy Valley when things are all said and done? All to come as we take a deep dive into what to expect for this Big Ten matchup.

A Little Bit of History-

The Nittany Lions will look to be undefeated against the Huskies, having won all four of their previous matchups. As Saturday will mark the second time Washington has played Penn State since joining the Big Ten Conference with Penn State winning 35-6 in State College in 2024. The only previous game played in Seattle was in 1921, a 21-7 blue-and-white victory, while other meetings in both 1983 and 2017 which were in both the Aloha Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.

What to Watch for in This Matchup-

Both teams have been very disappointing to start the year after being ranked in the preseason, with Penn State sitting at 4-4 and Washington enters at 5-3. The Nittany Lions secured their first Big Ten win last Saturday against Purdue, while the Huskies have won two straight after an 0-3 start to conference play. But it is very unclear if quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will start after appearing in limited action for the Huskies against Iowa and Nebraska and not playing against Purdue, which it all depends on if he is healthy or not to determine if he is starting in this game. But on the other hand, the backup quarterback for the Huskies, which is Elijah Brown, who was a transfer from Stanford, who has been up-and-down when filling in has been decent for the Huskies but doesn’t have the mobility that Williams truly has.

What to Expect for This Matchup-

Penn State is expected to get wide receiver Chase Sowell back for this matchup, while fellow receiver Koby Howard is still considered to be questionable. However, quarterback Rocco Becht rebounded last week without either of them in the lineup, a promising sign entering the final stretch of the season. The Nittany Lions will need another good performance from Becht against a Washington defense that has been susceptible through the air this season, allowing 211.3 passing yards per game and over 250 each in the last two games. The ironic thing for both teams is that both teams rushing attacks have struggled a fair amount this season with the exception of playing Purdue, when they both averaged over five yards per carry. Against each other, expect both teams to be limited on the ground. As for Washington, Washington’s offensive line may be the worst Penn State has faced during conference play, providing an excellent opportunity to build off last week’s improved pass rushing performance. The Huskies have allowed 26 sacks this season, averaging 3.25 per game, and to make matters worse, several linemen were listed as questionable for this matchup which is not a good sign. Williams has a tendency to hold the ball too long, but he also has the ability to make plays with his legs, so maintaining rushing discipline and keeping him contained will be crucial, as Williams has a higher completion percentage when he is blitzed which is 70.7% compared to 61.9% in the pocket, this is partly because of his ability to roll out and extend plays, putting strain on the secondary to stay sticky in coverage. Even though he can throw the ball down the field quite well, but Penn State’s secondary can manage it well.

Players to Watch-

If Williams can either start or plays for the Huskies, he raises the ceiling of the Huskies offense with play-making ability and mobility. This season, Williams has completed 123 of 186 passes for 1,495 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He has added 68 carries for 211 yards and is tied for the team lead with two rushing touchdowns. If Brown gets the start again, he is more of a pocket passer who can hit downfield throws but also frequently puts the ball in harm’s way, potentially leading to interceptions. Wide receivers Chris Lawson and Dezmen Roebuck provide a one-two punch through the air. Lawson has 44 receptions for 638 yards and three touchdowns this season, while Roebuck has 53 grabs for 509 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, safety Alex McLaughlin, who is listed as questionable to play in this matchup, flies around the field and leads the team with 56 tackles, adding three interceptions, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. If he is unable to play, it will be a major loss for the Huskies.

How Either Team Can Win This Matchup-

For Penn State, regardless of his pass-catching options, Becht will need to play an efficient game, completing a high percentage of passes and avoiding costly turnovers.

As for Washington, whether it is Williams or Brown getting the start, the Huskies must neutralize the Nittany Lions pass rush by leaning heavily on a quick-game rhythm. With a nearly non-existent run game and a banged-up offensive line, establishing high-percentage, short-to-intermediate throws early will be vital.

Score Prediction-

Penn State 24, Washington 20

Even with home-field advantage factors in even more during a cross-country road trip, but the visiting team is well-positioned to exploit a few glaring mismatches. While the Nittany Lions run defense has left plenty to be desired, the Huskies ranks 135 out of 138 in rushing yards per game and lack the firepower to capitalize. On the other side of the trenches, a very weak Penn State pass rush which has only had just one sack from a defensive lineman in Big Ten play will face an easy Washington offensive line who is equally prone to giving up pressure. Ultimately, the questions under center and up front make it difficult to envision the Huskies finding much offensive rhythm against a stout Nittany Lions secondary. If Becht takes care of the football, the offense should be able to do enough to leave Seattle with a win. Go State, beat Washington, see you next time for more on College Football.