Entering the tenth week of the regular season, Washington has the opportunity to reach bowl eligibility for the fifth consecutive season. Following a disastrous start to Big Ten play, the Huskies are now winners of two straight, both coming on the road. Now, they return home to take on a program they are yet to defeat in their 137-year history.
Jedd Fisch and company will welcome the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are coming off their conference win last week against Purdue. The two storied programs have had four meetings all-time, with PSU taking all of them. There have only been two meetings since the turn of the century, with the Huskies falling to the Nittany Lions 35-28 in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl and 35-6 in 2024, with the latter being the only matchup
as Big Ten opponents.
Despite starting the season with a trio of sloppy non-conference wins, Washington's offense quickly stunted the optimism surrounding the 2026 season, dropping their first three conference games while averaging just 23 points per game. However, they have found a way to win a pair of tough road games thanks to a stout defense and timely quarterback play from both transfer Elijah Brown and two-year starter Demond Williams Jr.
On the other sideline will be a team that's had their fair share of struggles as well. Starting the season one spot behind Washington at No. 18 in the AP Poll, Penn State posts a 1-4 record in Big Ten play, led by former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell and former Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht. The Nittany Lions' backfield also features a strong rotation at running back, led by another former Cyclone in Carson Hansen.
With all signs indicating that Williams will return to the starting role, the Huskies' offense will look to maintain the spark put on display in the final two minutes of play at Nebraska. Although the win column may not show it, Penn State poses another feisty defensive unit, allowing just over 18 points per game. Not to mention, history is not on the UW side against the Nittany Lions.
A win on Saturday would mark the 15th bowl-eligible season in the past 17 years, missing the six-win mark only in the 2020 COVID-shortened season and in 2021, when then-coach Jimmy Lake went 4-8. Now, with a little steam in their engine, Fisch and his program will look to carry their momentum back into the comfort of Husky Stadium, still in search of their first conference win in Seattle this season.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Seeking Bowl Eligibility for 5th Straight Season
