James Franklin and Penn State looks to rally the troops on the heels of their first loss of the season against Ohio State last weekend, getting the Washington Huskies back in Beaver Stadium for an opportunity to bounce back.
Jedd Fisch and company are 5-4 overall and 3-3 during their first season as a member of the Big Ten, losing two of their last three before taking down USC to snap the skid.
Happy Valley Insider takes a closer look at the Huskies by the numbers, ahead of Saturday's White Out matchup.
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Offense:
Jedd Fisch's high-powered offense at Arizona a year ago hasn't made the trip to Seattle this fall as the Huskies looked to continue the success of last season. In 2023, the Huskies were among the highest-ranked offenses in the country, scoring 36.0 points per game and gaining 462 yards per game, during their National Championship Game run.
The yardage total has decreased, but scoring has been the bigger issue for Washington, who is averaging just 23.6 points per game, which is 9th in the Big Ten and 100th in the nation.
Mississippi State transfer quarterback has been effective under center in his first year with the program, sitting at fourth in the Big Ten in passing yards (2,284) and completion percentage (71.1%) through nine games. Rogers has also thrown 13 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
Behind a strong passing game is a pair of top tier wide receivers, Denzel Boston and Giles Jackson, combining for 1,279 yards and 11 of Will Rogers' touchdowns. The duo has the second-most yards in the Big Ten, behind only Maryland's Tai Felton and Kaden Prather.
Tight end Keleki Latu and wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter have been solid secondary pass catchers for Rogers and the Huskies, each having 25+ catches and 300+ yards apiece, while Jackson and Boston receive the majority of the work in the pass game.
As far as the run game is concerned, Washington has a workhorse in the backfield, with Jonah Coleman getting nearly half of the team's 287 rushing attempts. Coleman has excelled in that role as well, being fourth in rushing yards (889) and yards per attempt (6.3), as well as 10th in rushing touchdowns (seven) in the Big Ten this season. Coleman leads a group that is 10th in the conference in rushing, with 148.4 yards per game on the ground, while sitting at 12th in touchdown runs.
Also of note, and perhaps explaining the scoring struggles, the Huskies are scoring on 80% of their red zone possessions which is 13th in the conference and 101st in the nation. That is on 35 possession, good for seventh in the conference.
Washington gave up 12 sacks in a three game stretch against Michigan, Iowa and Indiana, all three stellar defenses, before having none last week. Penn State could put the Huskies back on that track, coming into Saturday with 17 sacks this season.
Defense:
While the offense has been up-and-down, the defense of Washington has been something Jedd Fisch can hang its hat on this season. The Huskies are surrendering just 19.0 points per game this season, which is 21st in the country this season.
Behind that charge has been a truly elite pass defense in Seattle. The Huskies are second in the country and first in the Big Ten, giving up just 142.0 yards per game through the air. Washington has held Indiana, Rutgers, Northwestern, Iowa, Michigan and others under 125 passing yards, with only USC and Washington State surpassing that mark with 293 and 245 yards, respectively.
Cornerback Thaddeus Dixon and safety Kamren Fabiculanan have been integral in that endeavor, both having Pro Football Focus coverage grades of 81 or more. That tandem has three interceptions between the two, while linebacker Carson Bruener has three of his own, as well as five passes defended.
Defending the run has been less advantageous for the Huskies, however, allowing just north of 150 yards per game on the ground this season. That mark is good for 14th in the Big Ten and 70th in the country. Five straight games have seen Washington's opponents rush for 166 or more yards, as well as nine touchdowns during that time.
With Penn State's 33rd ranked run game behind Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen up next on the docket, that trend could continue to be a thorn in the side of the Huskies.
Special teams:
After being lights out a year ago, kicker Grady Gross has struggled in 2024, missing seven kicks this season. All of those came in a four game stretch, but Gross has been perfect over the last two weeks, 3-3 on field goals and 4-4 on extra point attempts.
Punting has also been a struggle for the Huskies, ranking in the bottom half of the country in average yards per punt, behind the leg of Jack McCallister.
Kick returner Keith Reynolds has been effective, as the lone bright spot for the special teams unit, averaging 23.5 yards per return. That mark is good for third in the Big Ten and 19th in the country this season.
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