Only Remnants Remain from 2024 UW-Penn State Game

Two days shy of two years will have gone by when the University of Washington football team faces Penn State again, only this time in the much friendlier confines of Husky Stadium with far fewer fireworks.

Not much remains from their previous meeting in State College in the Pennsylvania countryside, where the Nittany Lions took a 35-6 victory at Beaver Stadium -- for Jedd Fisch's most lopsided loss as the UW coach for margin and lack of points -- as 110,223 people showed up to see the mismatch and an elaborate pregame pyrotechnics display.

Penn State has a new coach in Matt Campbell, who has an old Husky assistant coach and player, Ikaika Malloe, on his staff as the defensive-line coach.

Since that previous game, the Huskies have had a bit of crossover, as well, welcoming former Penn State wide receiver Omari Evans to join them last year after he played a bit role in 2024 against them.

Demonstrating how much the game can change these days over 24 months, here's what's left and it's not much.

What Penn State's Beaver Stadium looked like before the UW and Nittany Lions played in 2024. | Skylar Lin Visuals

The UW will field a football team this time that has just three starters returning from the 2024 game in offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi, wide receiver Rashid Williams and tight end Decker DeGraaf.

Add to them five more players who appeared as reserves in the previous meeting in quarterback Demond Williams Jr., offensive tackle Soane Faasolo, defensive tackle Elinneus Davis, edge rusher Isaiah Ward and edge rusher Russell Davis II.

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Decker DeGraaf just missed catching a touchdown pass at Penn State. | Skylar Lin Visuals

As a freshman back then, Demond Williams played the entire second half against the Nittany Lions and pulled 31 snaps in his first extended game time for the Huskies.

On his very first offensive snap, following a UW fumble recovery on the Penn State 34, Williams sent a pass to DeGraaf that was just out of his fellow freshman's reach on the 25 and a possible touchdown was squandered.

Afterward, Fisch sat and discussed the physical disparity between the teams and said his recruiters would be seeking much bigger and stronger players going forward.

The Nittany Lions have just two starters still around from the 2024 game in offensive guard Anthony Donkah and linebacker Tony Rojas, plus their kicker Ryan Barker is back.

Add to them a pair of subs in center Dominic Rulli and wide receiver Ethan Black, who are still coming off the bench.

That's it for familiar faces in this Big Ten reunion, with the rest of the evidence, or game residue, buried over time.

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