This is something that Penn State hasn’t felt in almost two months. Saturday’s game against the Washington Huskies was the blue and white’s second straight win, the first time that has happened since Week two of the season.
It’s great to be back on the winning side of things, but there are still some laundry-list items to address. There are still some injuries that the Nittany Lions are dealing with, and there are some concerning trends that need to be corrected fast.
The team needs to play with more consistency going forward, but back-to-back wins are a good start. Here are five things to keep an eye on with Penn State this week.
Holding our breath
Wide receiver Koby Howard was thought to be dealing with a smaller injury, but he has been out for much longer than
a month at this point. The offense has been performing without him, but his impact on the unit cannot be overstated.
Hopefully he can make it back to the field for the home stretch because he seemed poised to have a special season.
No gas, all breaks
The Nittany Lions have to get these second halves corrected. Once again, they jumped out to a huge lead on Washington, 28-6 at halftime, and then went ice cold in the second half.
They didn’t score a single point in the third or fourth quarters, but they escaped Washington with a win. It worked out this time, but we’ve seen the other result earlier in the season when Wisconsin pulled off a 17-point comeback.
We know the offense can jump out to leads — now they need to prove that they can close games.
In our hands now
This rollercoaster of a season continues as a Bowl Game now appears to be in the cards for Penn State. It didn’t seem likely a couple weeks ago when the team was 3-4, but two straight wins have given the blue and white three chances to win one game.
It would take a significant collapse for the Nittany Lions to miss out on a Bowl Game now.
Winding down
It's hard to believe that there are only three more games left in this season. It’s flown by quickly, and that means that it’s almost time for the seniors on this team to leave the nest.
Some will be heading to the NFl, and others will be continuing their lives in a career other than football. Watch the older Penn State players for the rest of the season to see if the coaching staff emphasizes them in the game plan or gives them special recognition
Tony the Lion
Linebacker Tony Rojas is having another one of those special seasons. He had another eight tackles against Washington, including one for a loss, and his stock continues to rise.
Rojas was projected to be a Day 2 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft before this season even began, and a strong finish to the year could raise those projections. Watch him like a hawk in these last three games to see if he can work his way into being a first-round pick
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 5 Penn State storylines to watch after back-to-back wins
