Penn State at Washington: Key storylines, stats and prediction

Penn State heads to Seattle for first time since 1921 seeking second straight Big Ten win Advertisement Updated: 12:46 PM EST Nov 7, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Austin Boley Assignment Editor Penn State heads to Seattle for first time since 1921 seeking second straight Big Ten win Updated: 12:46 PM EST Nov 7, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Austin Boley Assignment Editor SEATTLE — After finally getting its first Big Ten win of the season on Halloween against the Purdue Boilermakers, the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking to build a win streak with a tough road test against the Washington Huskies. Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8. Advertisement WGAL is here to bring you an in-depth matchup preview, including key storylines, fun facts and statistical leaders. Penn State (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) at Washington (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, November 7 Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington TV: FS1 Betting line: Washington -2.5, according to DraftKings Last meeting: Penn State 35, Washington 6 in 2024 Series history Penn State meets Washington for the fifth time in program history. The Nittany Lions lead 4-0 in the all-time series, including 2-0 in regular-season games. PSU will play at Washington for the first time since December 3, 1921, a 21-7 Nittany Lion victory. Tale of the tape Washington is 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten this season after collecting a 17-10 win at Nebraska last Saturday. The Huskies trailed 7-3 before taking the lead on a 25-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, from Demond Williams Jr. to Chris Lawson, which extended their lead on a 48-yard pick-six by Alex McLaughlin on Nebraska's ensuing drive. Williams and Elijah Brown combined for 235 passing yards, while Lawson had 12 catches for 155 yards. The Huskies forced three interceptions and added four tackles for loss. Key storylines Penn State hopes for boost at receiver ahead of Washington game Penn State could get a boost at wide receiver for its road game against Washington, with Chase Sowell listed as probable and Koby Howard questionable. Both receivers were out against Purdue last week, when the Nittany Lions relied on their running game to take pressure off quarterback Rocco Becht. Penn State rushed for 269 yards and three touchdowns against the Boilermakers. The Nittany Lions could need a more balanced attack against Washington’s defense in Seattle. Sowell leads Penn State with 510 receiving yards and three touchdowns and is expected to play. Howard’s status remains less certain. He suffered a lower-body injury against Buffalo in Week 3, and the coaching staff wants to ensure he can play without limitations before he returns. Having both receivers available would give Becht more options as Penn State looks to increase its passing production. Struggles with coast-to-coast trips Penn State will make its longest road trip of the season when it visits Washington, a journey that has proved difficult for many Big Ten teams since the conference expanded in 2024. Teams traveling across two or more time zones are 10-19 in conference play since the Big Ten grew to 18 teams, according to the figures provided. In East Coast vs. West Coast matchups during the first season of expansion, visiting teams went 1-8. The lone victory came when Indiana routed UCLA at the Rose Bowl. Overall, Big Ten teams from the East Coast and Midwest are 3-11 when traveling to the Pacific Northwest or Los Angeles. Penn State, a slight underdog against the Huskies, has not played a road game in Washington since 1921. The Nittany Lions are 4-0 in the all-time series against Washington. The trip across multiple time zones raises the question of whether Penn State will be able to start quickly against the Huskies and leave Seattle with a victory. Statistical leaders Passing: Rocco Becht, Penn State: 148-234, 1,839 yards, 13 TD, 5 INT Demond Williams Jr., Washington: 101-148, 1,495 yards, 9 TD, 3 INT Rushing: Carson Hansen, Penn State: 89 carries, 374 yards, 5 TD Brian Bonner Jr., Washington: 68 carries, 309 yards, 1 TD Receiving: Chase Sowell, Penn State: 34 catches, 510 yards, 3 TD Chris Lawson, Washington: 44 catches, 638 yards, 3 TD Sacks: Tony Rojas, Penn State: 5 Alex McLaughlin, Washington: 2.5 Jacob Manu, Washington: 2.5 Tackles: Tony Rojas, Penn State: 57 Alex McLaughlin, Washington: 56 Interceptions: Tony Rojas, Penn State: 2 Josiah Zayas, Penn State: 2 Rylon Dillard-Allen, Washington: 3 Alex McLaughlin, Washington: 3 Kicking: Ryan Barker, Penn State: 25-25 PAT, 12-16 FG Tyler Robles: 24-24 PAT, 10-12 FG Fun facts With a victory against Purdue last week, Penn State has won 12 consecutive matchups against the Boilermakers, dating back to 2005. Penn State held on to the ball for 43:27 against Purdue, the highest time of possession by Penn State this season. It was the highest time of possession by Penn State since 2023 against Iowa (45:27). In his first career start, Cam Wallace rushed for a career-high 135 yards on a career-best 22 carries. According to PFF, Audavion Collins has allowed just five completions on 20 targets in 2026, the lowest completion percentage allowed among FBS cornerbacks with 175+ coverage snaps this season. Penn State is No.3 in the country in passing defense (141.4) and passing efficiency defense (100.39), while holding fifth in third-down conversion defense (27.6) and three-and-out percentage (29.35). Prediction Washington 27, Penn State 23 WGAL Football Friday Play of the Week Make WGAL a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks High school band member stunned as 'Thunderstruck' performance goes viral Defense attorney for man convicted in Tupac murder trial found dead in Las Vegas Watch: Giant pandas make much-anticipated debut at Zoo Atlanta 19-year-old to become one of Massachusetts' youngest representatives in state history