Penn State continues Washington's Big Ten initiation
The Nittany Lions dominated the Huskies, 35-6, in front of an impressive "White Out" crowd.
(Programming note: Sunday’s travel itinerary will preclude the usual “Day After” column. I’ll roll it into Monday’s story, instead.)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The drive, from any direction, belies what awaits in the valley between the Appalachian ridges. Scenic countryside implies peace and quiet. Arrival in this borough, on a fall Saturday such as this, introduces a remarkable mass of humanity, intimidating when they pack a football stadium and perhaps more so when they all wear the same color.
Penn State cherishes its annual “White Out” game, and this year chose Washington to play its foil. It is a feat many hours in the making, the parking lots crowded long before the first TV cameras click on, though that must be true of every home game here. The tailgates seemingly go on forever, tents and grills and all the corresponding smells combining for a scene unfathomable in any Pac-12 city, Seattle included, if only for the sheer size of it.
Pity those who try to steer their vehicles home in the few minutes following the game’s conclusion. The Huskies, ever the gracious visitors, gave the home crowd reason to leave Saturday’s game early — and happily so — even if a good number stayed until the end.
Penn State, sitting No. 6 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, so thoroughly dominated Washington in its 35-6 victory that the final two quarters functioned mostly as a scrimmage for Demond Williams Jr., the Huskies’ backup quarterback. He replaced starter Will Rogers after UW bore a 28-0 halftime deficit — four PSU drives, four touchdowns — while the Huskies gained only 71 yards from scrimmage, though coach Jedd Fisch said he expects Rogers will start against UCLA on Friday.
Washington has hired four head coaches since it last faced a halftime deficit so large, a 35-7 hole at Oregon in 2012.