The dust has settled. After an eighth-straight loss to Ohio State, No. 6 Penn State (7-1) has a valuable opportunity to redeem itself in the White Out against the reigning national runners-up, Washington (5-4), on Saturday. This game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET with streaming exclusively available on Peacock.
Despite last weekend’s defeat, a College Football Playoff bid still appears likely if the Nittany Lions (-13.5) are to win out the remaining four games of the regular season. The path to postseason glory will continue against the Huskies, who have lacked consistency throughout their first season under head coach Jedd Fisch.
Here’s a preview, players to watch and a score prediction for Saturday’s contest.
PREVIEW:
At times, the Washington defense has looked great. Other times, far from it, like when it allowed Iowa to score 40 points or a Kurtis Rourke-less Indiana team to eclipse 30. That said, Penn State will likely present the most complete offense the Huskies have seen this season, which says something considering the Nittany Lions have clear flaws on that side of the ball.
Penn State should be hungry to redeem itself after a loss to the Buckeyes that could’ve been a win, if not for missed opportunities within the 5-yard line. Oh, yeah — and it’s a White Out, which could create a difficult atmosphere for the Huskies and a momentum-boosting environment for the Nittany Lions.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
WR Omari Evans
The pressure is on for a wide receiver corps that, once again, proved itself inferior to Ohio State’s secondary. Washington’s isn’t so shabby either, but plays an NFL style that could make it susceptible to deep passes. After a hot start to 2024, Omari Evans has only three catches in Big Ten play. The Huskies play an ideal brand of defense for Penn State’s deep-play threat.
RB Nick Singleton
If the pass game doesn’t work against Washington, which ranks No. 3 nationally in opponent passing yards per game, the Nittany Lions will need to find success on the ground. Running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are just begging for a breakout game after what was one of their least successful games in a long while against the Buckeyes.
CB A.J. Harris
The Huskies haven’t played many great opponents, but in their opportunities, have proved to have a pretty effective passing offense led by quarterback Will Rogers. That could put Penn State’s cornerbacks, led by A.J. Harris, in the spotlight to slow down a passing offense that ranks No. 19 nationally.
KEY TO VICTORY:
Explosive rush offense
Every game has been rough on the ground for Singleton since his injury prior to facing UCLA on Oct. 5. At this point, the Nittany Lions’ wide receivers have proved themselves unreliable, at least consistently, to lead the offense. Singleton will need to return to form sooner rather than later if Penn State hopes to make the playoffs and compete once they’re in the fold.
PREDICTION: Penn State 28, Washington 13.
