Penn State edges Washington in Fiesta Bowl: Highlights, score and recap

Penn State caps off another great year with a Fiesta Bowl victory over Washington.

Earlier this calendar year when Penn State faced a Pac-12 opponent, things didn’t go so well. The Nittany Lions fell to the USC Trojans in a memorable Rose Bowl. PSU made things a bit different on Saturday afternoon in Glendale, though. The Nittany Lions defeated the Washington Huskies, taking the Fiesta Bowl by a score of 35-28.

In their first Fiesta Bowl appearance since 1997, PSU made it look easy for a while. Especially Saquon Barkley, who dazzled and amazed for the umpteenth time in his college career. Barkley ran for 136 yards and needed only 17 carries to do so. He scored two touchdowns, including a 92-yard scamper, the longest run in program history. Trace McSorley was no different, as the senior quarterback went out with a bang. McSorley went 32 of 41 on pass attempts, tossing for 342 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Things got tight for PSU going down the stretch. A second-half push by the Huskies put them on skates a bit, with a deficit as small as seven. However, McSorley was deft and was especially outstanding on 3rd down. Clutch throws down the stretch ultimately led to a Penn State win in Glendale. The Huskies had a chance late, but in the end, they could not deliver.

It’s Penn State’s second straight 11-win season after the win on Saturday. James Franklin is certainly doing his job and doing it well in State College. Even with roster turnover coming, and a new offensive coordinator with Joe Moorhead going to Mississippi State, PSU should still be among the top teams in the Big Ten next season.

As for Washington, this certainly stings quite a bit. The Huskies had a solid, not spectacular season, but they’ve definitely done well the past two years, especially when you consider where the program was not too long ago. You can’t hang your head in shame too much. Chris Petersen brought the Huskies to the College Football Playoff a season ago and a New Year’s Six bowl this season. Unfortunately for them, they wound up on the wrong side of the coin both times. There will be some turnover in Seattle, too, so it’s interesting to see where UW goes now.

Highlights

Well, this is a lowlight:

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Three Stars

• Saquon Barkley: An obvious choice. Barkley likely ended his college career in style on Saturday afternoon in Glendale. He racked up another 100+ yard effort with two touchdowns and, of course, his 92-yard scamper. He averaged an astonishing 7.6 yards per carry against one of the best run defenses in the nation. He’s been a star all year, and he showed exactly why.
• Trace McSorley: Trace was excellent in his Penn State finale. He was cool, calm and collected, and despite throwing two interceptions, he was one of the biggest reasons the Nittany Lions won over Washington. He threw passes to nine different receivers, and four of them had five or more receptions. McSorley spread the wealth and made it count.
• DaeSean Hamilton: Hamilton was the recipient of both touchdowns McSorley threw on Saturday. He made a fantastic effort on both, pulling in the 48-yard grab and then the late score in the fourth quarter. Like McSorley, Hamilton is a senior, so this was his last outing in blue and white. He damn sure made it count.