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Penn State Football: Predicting the outcome of the Fiesta Bowl

By Barry Leonard Jr.

COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOVEMBER 25: Tight end Mike Gesicki
COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOVEMBER 25: Tight end Mike Gesicki /
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – NOVEMBER 18: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions carries the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 18, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – NOVEMBER 18: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions carries the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on November 18, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

Contributor Marty Leap

The Fiesta Bowl will be a battle of strength. Saquon Barkley and the high-powered Nittany Lion offense will do battle with the Washington Huskies who rank fifth in the FBS in total defense and first in rush defense.

The Huskie defense is anchored by future first round pick nose tackle Vita Vea. Vea is the best defensive player the Nittany Lions have faced this season and he possesses the ability to single-handily wreck Penn State’s offense on Saturday. There will be an immense amount of pressure on Steven Gonzalez, Connor McGovern, and Brendan Mahon on Saturday.

While Washington’s defense is excellent, their secondary can be vulnerable. It will be up to Trace McSorley, DaeSean Hamilton, Juwan Johnson, DeAndre Thompkins, and Saeed Blacknall to look to take advantage. Also, Mike Gesicki and Barkley should both have a huge advantage over the Huskie linebackers.

Washington’s offense is good but not great. Quarterback Jake Browning is a future NFL quarterback but does not possess the playmaking ability of someone like McSorley. If the Nittany Lions secondary can contain Dante Pettis, which is much easier said than done, the Huskie passing game could struggle on Saturday. Especially since the Huskies have a struggling redshirt freshman at left tackle whom Shareef Miller should terrorize on Saturday afternoon.

This game may be won or lost by the Nittany Lions on special teams. Pettis is the all-time leader in return touchdowns in FBS history. Blake Gillikin and the punter coverage unit will need to bring their A++ game on Saturday, or else Pettis will make them pay.

Saturday’s game could easily go either way. However, I look for Saquon Barkley to go out with a bang and end his college career with a big day in the desert. Barkley helps lead to Nittany Lions to their first NY6 Bowl victory since the 2006 Orange Bowl and their second consecutive 11-win season.

Penn State 30

Washington 28

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