Two in a row.

Penn State football outlasted Washington 28-25 despite a heroic Huskies comeback effort in the second half. The Nittany Lions failed to score in the final 30 minutes, but held the ball for the last 7:40 to snag their second Big Ten win under Matt Campbell.

Penn State avoided disaster, but it did not avoid strong reactions from the Nittany Lion faithful on social media after the game.

Here’s how our staff reacted to some of them.

Matt Campbell Actually Didn’t Learn Anything From The Wisconsin Game

Cadyn Gill: Campbell told us he changed his approach from a sideline leadership standpoint after the game, and the players supported his claim, so I can’t say he didn’t learn anything, but he certainly made a few of the same mistakes.

Going for it on fourth-and-7 was a reckless example of game management, which was prevalent throughout the disastrous Wisconsin breakdown.

Still, the offense was conservative in the second half. While this is more of a play-caller issue, Campbell has the power as head coach to quickly spearhead changes and adjust the game plan.

The bottom line is that Campbell didn’t stay aggressive enough schematically, and it almost cost him what would have been one of the worst losses in all of college football this season. Don’t play keep-away with tit-for-tat possessions. Keep the foot on the gas and play to win.

Jamie Lynch: It still felt like Penn State was playing not to lose in the second half.

After Penn State blew a 17-point lead to the Badgers, Campbell made it clear that in similar situations moving forward, the Nittany Lions would not take their foot off the gas. And that’s exactly what they did.

Everything was clicking in the first half on Saturday against Washington. Rocco Becht took deep shots, racking up 193 passing yards in the first 30 minutes. The defense also did its job, playing aggressively and forcing the Huskies into three-and-outs on four separate drives.

To open the second half, Penn State could have easily set the tone. Instead, Becht threw two quick incompletions, then handed the ball off to Carson Hansen on third-and-10. Hansen gained just 2 yards up the middle and forced a punt.

Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s unit also struggled to adapt to Washington stretching the field horizontally, letting the Huskies chip away at field position and score 19 unanswered points.

The chips fell in Penn State’s favor this time around, but the lack of risk-taking was concerning.

Oscar Orellana: While Campbell insisted he reviewed the Wisconsin tape and avoided the same mistakes, the second half spoke for itself.

The Nittany Lions got a little greedy with the fourth-and-7 trick play from Washington’s 35-yard line. When that failed, they reverted to not playing for the win and just not to lose.

The offense couldn’t stay on the field; the Huskies made the necessary plays, and Jedd Fisch came out of the half with tangible adjustments. Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got more time by rolling to his left and right and pieced together some nice drives.

I will give Campbell credit for the 7:40 drive to run the game out, but Penn State should have never been in that position. That was a very losable scenario Campbell needs to learn from again.

Chase Sowell Would Still Be Performing As Well If Koby Howard Never Got Hurt

Cadyn Gill: I think this is a pretty lukewarm take in the sense that Chase Sowell hasn’t needed consistently high volume to produce. He’s cranked out a 125-yard and 95-yard game on just four catches this season.

If Howard had been healthy this entire time, I think he would be deployed in the slot and work underneath using his strong yards-after-catch ability.

Sowell, on the other hand, works outside against man coverage and utilizes his big frame and strong hands to stretch the defense vertically with explosive chunk plays.

Instead, the tight ends have primarily worked underneath to give Becht quick reads.

A healthy Howard would take pressure off Sowell in deep coverage, but Sowell’s big-play threat would also help Howard find more space underneath.

Jamie Lynch: Howard’s absence definitely helped Penn State realize the weapon it had at wide receiver.

When both wideouts were healthy during the first three games of the season, Howard owned 20% of the target share compared to Sowell’s 15%. The only game Sowell was targeted more than his teammate was against Temple, Penn State’s worst offensive performance.

Assuming Penn State would have continued its winning ways with Howard still in the lineup, I don’t think the offense was set up to help Sowell find the success he’s having now.

That being said, if and when Howard returns, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser knows getting both guys heavily involved will be a priority. It will be exciting to watch a receiving corps now with two true stars in the mix.

Oscar Orellana: Sowell is inevitable. The performances he’s putting in week in and week out are nothing short of magical.

While I think his numbers wouldn’t be as inflated if he were splitting the field with Howard, I still think Sowell would have made a name for himself. He’s far too talented to be kept quiet, no matter who is alongside him.

It’s a shame Penn State fans haven’t been able to see the two share the field since non-conference play. Who knows if they will ever again? It would have been a sight to see.

Carson Hansen Earned The Starting Running Back Spot For The Remainder Of The Season

Cadyn Gill: I still don’t believe Hansen has the most talent in the unit, but it’s clear Campbell is playing guys who show up at practice every week and prepare the right way.

If that’s Hansen, then he has earned the starting role. But I still believe James Peoples and Cam Wallace have an explosiveness that Hansen simply doesn’t.

While I support Campbell’s decision to prioritize merit-based playing time, I think he’s doing his offense a disservice by limiting reps for talented running backs who can help move the chains.

Jamie Lynch: We’re really going to do this every week, aren’t we?

Wallace and Hansen have both proven to be deserving of playing time, and I’m fine with them splitting carries.

Wallace has shown in two consecutive games now that he can find open space and give Penn State that home-run threat in the ground game. Hansen has also been around or over the 100-yard mark in the Nittany Lions’ most recent contests.

Mouser and running backs coach Savon Huggins finally found their guys — plural. It worked with Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton; why not run it back?

Oscar Orellana: I was thoroughly impressed by Hansen in Seattle. He set the offensive rhythm and showed what kind of back he can be: strong, gritty, and capable of picking up positive yardage consistently.

I think Wallace is a great running back, as much as the next guy, but he didn’t show much against the Huskies beyond his 46-yard touchdown run.

Hansen put in the work from the opening down to his masterful performance on Penn State’s clinching drive, and that consistency since the bye week is key in how the running back room looks on the field heading into the final three weeks.

It’s clear both are the route to go, but Hansen deserves the starts and the featured role.

Rocco Becht Solidified Himself As A Top-Five Big Ten Quarterback

Cadyn Gill: The injuries to Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, and Nico Iamaleava probably elevate Becht higher than he realistically should be.

I have defended Becht more than most, being impressed with some pro-level throws, but he has also coughed up the ball in high-leverage situations, which is inexcusable for a signal-caller with as much starting experience as he has.

One stat Becht should fare much better in is completion percentage; instead, he ranks No. 11 in the Big Ten with 62.8%.

He needs to make more on-schedule throws to keep Penn State’s offense ahead of the chains before I decisively crown him as an elite Big Ten quarterback.

Jamie Lynch: At his best, I think he is for sure. But then again, that’s not exactly a very high bar for the most experienced quarterback in college football.

Becht made some really impressive throws on Saturday, including a deep ball to Sowell that he dropped right in the bucket.

He looked comfortable in short-yardage passing situations and connected on numerous occasions with guys like Zay Robinson and Benjamin Brahmer up the middle.

During the first three games of the season, Becht looked like a top-10 quarterback in the country. An injury to his top target might have thrown him for a loop, and the turnover concern that developed against Northwestern and Michigan was real. But it seems we’ve moved past that.

At the end of the day, Becht is far from perfect, but stacked up to the rest of the Big Ten signal-callers, it’s hard for me to put him below guys like Katin Houser.

Oscar Orellana: The Becht Penn State fans saw on Saturday was the Becht Campbell promised when he brought his longtime quarterback from Iowa State.

He was poised in the pocket, delivered some backbreaking throws all over the Husky defense, and most importantly, didn’t turn the ball over. Penn State does not win this game without Becht.

The rest of the Big Ten is decimated at the quarterback position. Almost half the conference’s starters have gone down, which has allowed Becht to slither up the ranks with his performances since the bye week. I’m comfortable saying he’s on the edge of the top five, but that hinges on whether he can keep it up and lead the Nittany Lions to a bowl game.

Penn State Football Still Lacks An Identity

Cadyn Gill: Yeah, I agree with this.

Campbell said it himself after the Washington game: “Defense and running the football travels.”

So I think that’s what the Nittany Lions want their identity to be, but I don’t think they have enough talent in the trenches to do it fully. Sure, the run game has looked much improved since the bye week, but it disappeared in the second half against Washington when it should have been easy to milk the clock and snuff out any attempt at a comeback.

If Penn State truly wants to find an identity, it has to maintain it week in and week out, and the only aspect that has done that is the defensive secondary.

Jamie Lynch: Penn State’s passing and running games have both improved significantly since the Nittany Lions started winning again. But even with the run game finally clicking and the passing game back in some kind of groove, everything still feels like it’s in flux.

Onward State writer Michael Zeno said it best when he talked about the challenges that currently exist in trying to pinpoint what this team wants to be. The late-season emergence of the Wallace-Hansen tandem has me excited about the rest of the season in the running game, but I can’t rightfully call that the soul of this team after watching four straight games of near filth.

Not to beat a dead horse, but not having Howard on the field changes everything. I can envision a Penn State team with two playmaking receivers being led by a veteran quarterback, but unfortunately fate didn’t have that in mind this year.

Until this program is entirely Campbell’s, I think Penn State may struggle to find an identity for a little while during the transition period.

Oscar Orellana: When I think “identity,” I think of what a team does better than anybody else. What does it pride itself on?

Historically, Penn State has been blessed by elite linebacker, tight end, and running back play. Tony Rojas is amazing, the tight end room has been underwhelming, and the running backs have finally clicked with the two-headed monster of Hansen and Wallace.

But the 2026 Nittany Lions’ bread and butter has been their secondary. Everywhere you look, there’s blood in the water. From Audavion Collins’ clamps to Daryus Dixson, Josiah Zayas, Zion Tracy, Jamison Patton, and the emergence of Ibn McDaniels against Washington, it’s impressive what Penn State has accomplished on the back end.

The Nittany Lions hold the No. 1 pass defense in the Big Ten. Penn State cornerbacks coach Terry Smith’s no-fly zone is the best part of the team, but how can Campbell translate that into a full-fledged identity if it still doesn’t win games?

Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris burned the secondary for a 72-yard go-ahead touchdown in Week 4, which started Penn State’s skid to open Big Ten play. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava and the Trojans had their way with the Nittany Lions all White Out long. Even Williams picked them apart on Saturday.

Penn State still has too much to question in its best position group, and that makes it impossible for the team to have an identity. An identity doesn’t come about in one season. It takes years to build a program and create a brand of football fans across the nation can identify with.

Campbell knows how to do that. It won’t happen by the end of the year, but the Purdue and Washington wins were big for the culture. The identity is coming.

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