On Saturday, Penn State football faces Washington for the fifth time in program history. The last time the Nittany Lions (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) made the trip to Seattle to play the Huskies (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) was in 1921, when teams had to travel by train.
In program history, Penn State is undefeated against Washington, last playing in the 2024 White Out at Beaver Stadium. The eventual College Football Playoff semifinalist and Big Ten runner up crushed the Huskies 35-6 in front of over 110,000 fans.
First-year quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was handed the keys to the offense in the second half of that 2024 matchup. Williams was 6-of-10 passing for 60 yards and also carried the ball 10 times for 38 yards. The dual threat ability of Williams was on display in primetime.
Later in 2024, Williams won the starting job, becoming a budding star at the QB position. After a 9-4 campaign in 2025, the Huskies looked like they had a future top pick on their hands. However, after struggling to start 2026 and sustaining a rib injury, Williams' season was in question.
Williams' time with the Huskies has been tumultuous, but ahead of Penn State's trip to Seattle, it looks like the Nittany Lions will see a familiar foe at quarterback.
Jedd Fisch implies Washington quarterback Demond Williams will start in Week 10 game vs. Penn State
After starting the 2025 season, the Huskies worked hard to retain Williams for the following season. Ultimately, Williams signed an NIL deal worth $4 million to stay in Seattle. Just four days after signing the deal, the Arizona native attempted to enter the Transfer Portal in search of more money. Washington and the Big Ten blocked his portal entry due to the contract he signed, and Williams apologized and stayed with the team.
The portal saga created a potential rift in the Huskies' locker room due to the team's leader trying to bail before the season. Ultimately, Williams was named starter for 2026, but has struggled at times in 2026. Beyond his up and down play, the third-year quarterback suffered a rib injury in the team's loss to Iowa, causing him to miss the entirety of the Purdue game.
Against Nebraska in Week 9, Williams was available, but the injury kept him sidelined for most of the game. With transfer Elijah Brown at the helm, Washington's offense was abysmal against the Cornhuskers. To start the fourth quarter, Williams came off the bench and the team scored 14 points in the period, sparking the Huskies to a come-from-behind victory.
Even though Williams saved the day for the Huskies, returning from injury this soon made his status questionable against Penn State.
Washington head coach Jedd Fisch implied that Williams will start against the Nittany Lions.
"If [Williams] is feeling good, I don't see why he wouldn't play and start," Fisch told reporters. "We have to make sure he that he's good to go and he feels right, and if he feels right, hopefully we can play off of the momentum in the fourth quarter."
While Fisch clarified that both Williams and Brown will get reps this week, it seems like Washington will have its $4 million signal caller under center vs. Penn State.
In that case, the Nittany Lions will have to do the best they can to keep Williams in the pocket and avoid moving the chains with his legs. Letting Terry Smith's elite cornerbacks cover down the field should be the way to go.
However, a fully healthy Williams is as scary as anybody, and it is easy to see why Penn State is a slight underdog on the road. The Nittany Lions better hope the Huskies rushed him back or it could be a long day at the office.
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