Gameday Primer: Penn State looks to rebound against Washington

Washington (5-4) at No. 6 Penn State (7-1) When: Saturday, November 9 at 8:00 p.m. Where: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA

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Three Things To Watch...Bouncing back after a loss has not been a strength of James Franklin's tenure, but with a College Football Playoff berth still in hand, now is no time for the Nittany Lions to lose sight of the ultimate prize. Penn State is 17-14 coming out of a loss under Franklin, but has won their last four such games. And since the start of 2022, Penn State is 27-0 in games against teams not named Michigan and Ohio State. There is ZERO reason to suspect the Nittany Lions would drop a White Out game to a 5-4 Washington Huskies team. But college football can be funny sometimes. The narrative around Penn State's loss to Ohio State has been deafening, even James Franklin made it clear this week that flushing Ohio State is easier said than done.

"I think we do a pretty good job in the Lasch building, but they (players) come to the press conference and they have to answer your guys' questions or you're asking me or they're walking around town or they're walking around campus and everybody else is talking about everything but Washington," Franklin said. "So, for us, we control the things that we can control and those other things we can't."

The days of Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington feel like decades ago, and once again there are many questions about Penn State's pass catchers. Saturday's loss to Ohio State was perhaps their worst performance in years. Penn State's receivers caught just three passes all game, and none after the first possession of the second half. Trey Wallace's dropped touchdown-turned-interception at the end of the first half is the icing on the cake. Things get no easier against Washington who is allowing a Big Ten fewest 142-yards-per-game passing, on just 50-percent completion.

White Out game reaches 20th anniversary

For a few weeks this season, Penn State was the best rushing team in the Big Ten, but conference play has brought a stark reality to the Nittany Lions. Penn State is averaging 110 fewer rushing yards-per-game against Big Ten opponents, only Rutgers has a bigger falloff. Nick Singleton has been himself since missing the UCLA game for unclear reasons, rushing for just 90-yards on 28 carries in the last three. His biggest impact has been in the passing game where he led Penn State with 54 yards Saturday. There are reasons to suspect Singleton or Kaytron Allen can cash in for a big game Saturday. Washington has given up a 100-yard rushing performance in three-straight games.

Watch the Penn State White Out game live in IMAX. Here's how