It feels like Penn State has finally regained control over its season. After a four-game losing streak that followed a 3-0 start to the season, the blue and white have won two in a row, and it looks like they truly belong in the Big Ten.
The Nittany Lions took on Washington on Saturday afternoon, and they won 28-25 in what was almost a mirror image of the Wisconsin game earlier in the season. The offense moved the ball and scored at will in the first half, while the defense put a familiar beatdown on the Huskies’ offense.
But then the offense went cold in the final two quarters, and the defense softened up and allowed the Huskies back in the game. However, Penn State was able to salt away the game in the end, and it escaped Washington with a win.
Here are five of the biggest takeaways from the team’s second conference win of the season.
We belong
For a while there, it looked like head coach Matt Campbell and his gang of Iowa State transfers were no match for the Big Ten. They lost their first four games in the conference, and they were getting out-coached and outplayed for much of that time.
But after back-to-back wins, with those Cyclones players being the focal points, their viability in the conference is no longer in question. There may not be much to accomplish for the team this season, but this is solid groundwork for the development of the program going forward.
Beggars can’t be choosers
Washington might not be the cream of the crop in the Big Ten, but they are certainly a good team. Penn State’s fans have been starving for a win against a team that has some life, and they finally got it this week.
If may not have been the prettiest game, and the Nittany Lions may have avoided a catastrophe at the end of the game, but a win is a win. A victory was what everyone wanted, so we can’t complain about the path it took to get here.
Competition
It looked like Koby Howard was Penn State’s clear-cut best wide receiver when the season began. Now that he’s been out of action for more than two months, we’re finding out that it may not be the case.
Wide receiver Chase Sowell has thrived in Howard’s absence, and he had the best game of his career by far on Saturday. He finished the contest with four catches for 125 yards and a touchdown, and he had a number of highlight plays that made him look like a star.
Not only is it looking like the Nittany Lions have two No. 1 receivers, but they might both be stars as well.
Rookie wall
Linebacker Josiah Zayas struggled mightily for the first time all season. The true freshman got juked out on the very first play from scrimmage, and it set the table for the rest of the game.
The Huskies tried to make a late push, and on the touchdown they scored to make the game 28-17, Zayas seemed confused about what he was supposed to be doing in coverage. He then gave up another touchdown on a fourth-quarter drive where he slipped.
He looks like he has a bright future on this team, but Saturday’s game was not a good one for him.
On the run
Becht has had some strong moments for Penn State this season, but he doesn’t appear to be the most comfortable pocket passer. To combat the deficiency, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser got him out on the edge a lot more this week.
There were a lot of bootlegs and rollouts for Becht against Washington, and it helped him use his athleticism. It will be interesting to see if that wrinkle becomes a mainstay of Penn State’s offense going forward.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 5 major takeaways from Penn State’s nail-biting win over Washington
