Penn State football found its second straight win since Big Ten play started, defeating Washington 28-25 on Saturday. The Nittany Lions hold a winning record on the season again, reaching 5-4 overall, and continue climbing out of a conference hole (2-4 Big Ten).
Quarterback Rocco Becht had a critical game. Against Purdue in Week 9, he showed positive signs of improvement after he entered the bye on a very low not. He protected the ball, was better on his feet, and directed an offense that was without top two receivers Koby Howard and Chase Sowell. It was the first time in 2026 he operated without both wideouts, and he played a steady game.
However, how consistent this stability was remained uncertain. Becht has been up and down over the season, particularly against Big Ten defenses. One decent performance wasn't enough to determine if things had actually progressed, especially since Penn State faced the Boilermakers.
On Saturday, Becht proved Purdue wasn't an outlier.
Rocco Becht quarterback grade for Week 10 win over Washington: A-
Becht was 16-of-27 threw the air for 240 passing yards and two touchdowns Saturday evening. He took three sacks and threw zero interceptions. This is the second week in a row Becht did not turn the ball over and the first time since Week 3 that he's had consecutive games without throwing an interception.
His turnover-less content on Saturday is more impressive considering he actually took deep shots. Becht had five completions of 20-plus yards and one completion of 40-plus yards. In Week 9, he didn't have a single one in either category. He hasn't been well-known for his arm strength this year, so it was good seeing that element of his game more consistent through the contest.
Assisting Becht in that regard was getting Sowell back active for the contest. Against Purdue, he had 175 total passing yards. On Saturday, he had 193 in the first half alone. That wasn't possible without Sowell, who accounted for 89 yards entering halftime and had 125 receiving yards total in the game.
Becht also faced more aggressive pressure in the second half that stopped the bleeding for Washington, giving its offense more time to come back from its 25-point deficit. He couldn't find a way to overcome it and drive down the field as the Nittany Lions were held to zero points the entire second half and he finished the game with a 33 percent dropback success rate. But, he protected the football. The only time they turned over the ball on Saturday was on downs in the third quarter.
On the ground, Becht wasn't all that great given the three sacks he took. He definitely looked better against the Boilermakers. But, he made a critical attempt on third-and-six with nearly seven minutes left of the fourth quarter with Penn State up 28-25. The Huskies had just went down to score and converted on the two-point attempt to put Washington within a field goal away from tying the game.
Campbell on holding the ball for the last 7:40 to close the game:
— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) November 8, 2026
“Hopefully the writing on the quarterback will be a lot better today than maybe it has been. The reality is, that guy keeps you poise. That’s why that guy is really special.”
Becht slid for the first down from the Nittany Lions' 29-yard-line to extend the drive. An unsportsmanlike conduct call on Sowell took the yardage back, but Washington defensive back Thaddeus Dixon went helmet-to-helmet with Becht, which put Penn State at its own 38-yard-line. There were outside factors on that play, but Becht made the right decision and executed it well.
He surged forward on fourth-and-one inside the two-minute warning later on that drive, forcing Washington to take its final timeout. This allowed Penn State to run down the rest of the clock and secure the win on the road.
Becht also hit a career record, reaching 100 touchdown passes in his collegiate career. In the second quarter, he found Sowell for a lead-extender that put the Nittany Lions up 21-3. The throw was right on the money and the chemistry between Becht and Sowell was clearly on display. He trusted his receivers would find separation down the field and be in the right spot. It was a combined effort, but as said before, Becht hasn't been known for his arm this season.
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