Rocco Becht threw two first-half touchdown passes as Penn State built a 22-point lead before holding on to defeat Washington 28-25 Saturday in a Big Ten Conference game in Seattle.
Becht’s 2-yard quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 from the Washington 3-yard line with 1:56 remaining helped clinch the victory.
Becht was 16 of 27 passing for 240 yards. Carson Hansen rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries for the Nittany Lions (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten), who won their second in a row following a four-game skid. Chase Sowell made four receptions for 125 yards and a TD.
Demond Williams Jr. was 19 of 33 for 172 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Huskies (5-4, 2-3), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Jayden Limar rushed for 66 yards on nine carries and Chris Lawson finished with five catches for 89 yards.
The Huskies’ defense stiffened in the second half, holding Penn State scoreless. But the hosts were unable to overcome a 28-6 halftime deficit.
The Huskies took the opening kickoff and drove into the red zone before stalling. They settled for Tyler Robles’ 29-yard field goal.
The Nittany Lions responded with touchdowns on four consecutive possessions.
The first was Hansen’s 12-yard run up the middle. Penn State extended its lead on a 24-yard scoring strike from Becht to Zay Robinson on a slant pattern early in the second quarter. Becht then connected with Sowell on a deep pass down the middle of the field for a 45-yard TD with 10:03 left in the quarter.
The Huskies again reached the red zone before Robles booted a 31-yarder with 5:10 left in the half.
Penn State’s Cam Wallace took a handoff, went up the middle and cut to the right sideline, then outraced defensive backs on a 46-yard scoring run with 2:44 left in the half to make it 28-6.
Robles added a 47-yarder on Washington’s opening possession of the second half.
The Huskies finally found the end zone on a 4-yard pass from Williams to tight end Baron Naone with 3:55 left in the third quarter to pull within 28-17 after a two-point conversion. The drive began after Washington stopped the Nittany Lions on fourth-and-7 from the Washington’s 35-yard line.
Williams scrambled and hit Dezmen Roebuck with a 6-yard TD pass with 7:40 remaining and another two-point conversion pass pulled the Huskies within three.