It wasn’t the laugher that it looked to be early on, but Penn State closed out Washington 28-25 for the biggest win of the Matt Campbell era so far.
Penn State led 28-6 at the half, and despite Washington scoring the game’s last 19 points, that lead proved to be big enough.
Rocco Becht went 16-for-27 for 240 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.
Carson Hansen had his best game in a Penn State uniform, maybe his entire career, by gaining 119 yards with a touchdown on 14 carries.
The afternoon didn’t get off to a good start for Penn State.
Washington got the ball to start the game and promptly held it for almost seven minutes, gaining 65 yards on 14 plays and rushing for 53.
Although Penn State did hold Washington to a field goal, Washington gained 21 more rushing yards than Penn State allowed the previous week against Purdue.
But the Penn State offense responded by scoring a touchdown, going 75 yards on seven plays. It ended on a 12-yard run by Carson Hansen, who had a 20-yard run earlier on the drive.
After the defense got its first stop of the day, PSU went on the ball again and scored another touchdown. PSU drove 68 yards on 10 plays in 3:20, ending on a 24-yard TD pass from Rocco Becht to Zay Robinson, who was a game-time decision per Saturday’s Big Ten’s availability report.
Zay Robinston Turns Questionable Status Into Key Touchdown Against Washington
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Penn State added on with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Chase Sowell, who was also a game-time decision. A field goal on the ensuing drive put Washington back within two scores. But Penn State responded right away with a 46-yard TD run by Cam Wallace.
Cam Wallace Finally Breaks Through On Key First Half Touchdown
The extra point made it 28-6, which is how it stayed going into the second half. Washington cut the deficit to 19 with another field goal early in the third quarter. Finally, 36:05 into the game, Washington scored a touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Demond Williams Jr. to Baron Naone.
Ibn McDaniels got the first INT of his Penn State career on Washington’s next possession.
But Washington wouldn’t go away, getting another touchdown, this one a 6-yard pass from Williams to Dezmen Roebuck.
Penn State held the ball for the last 7:40 to hold on.
Next up is Minnesota in a game that will be at either 7 or 7:30 in Beaver Stadium Saturday, Nov. 14, on a network to be determined. With a win, Penn State secures bowl eligibility for the 21st time in the last 22 seasons, the lone exception being the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
