Penn State expects top receiver Chase Sowell back for Saturday's trip to Washington

Penn State should get its leading receiver back for Saturday's game in Seattle. Coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday that senior wideout Chase Sowell is probable against Washington. Sowell sat out last week's 31-17 win over Purdue with a leg injury, the Reading Eagle reported.

"The word 'probable' is what I would use with Chase," Campbell said, according to the Reading Eagle, adding that Sowell is "in a really good spot." Sowell leads the Nittany Lions with 34 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns. He played in each of the first seven games before the injury, and PennLive noted that his best game came in the 21-18 loss at Michigan on Oct. 17, when he caught 11 passes for 151 yards and a score.

Sophomore Koby Howard is less certain. Campbell called him questionable. Howard has missed five straight games with a leg injury and has yet to appear in Big Ten play. He averaged close to 29 yards per catch over the first three games and has 12 receptions for 344 yards. With both receivers out against Purdue, the tight ends carried the passing game: Andrew Rappleyea, Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle combined for nine catches, 115 yards and a touchdown. Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser told the Reading Eagle that losing the most explosive players makes it hard to create big plays. Mouser also gave cornerback Audavion Collins his first career carry, an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The team will fly to Seattle on Thursday, a day earlier than usual. Campbell said the timing of the 12:30 p.m. Pacific kickoff was the main reason for the change.

What it means at Washington

Penn State is 4-4 and needs a second win in a row. The Nittany Lions lost four straight in the middle of the season: to Wisconsin by four, to Northwestern by 21, to No. 19 USC by eight and at Michigan by three. They then beat Purdue. The passing game was at its best with Sowell, and his return gives quarterback Rocco Becht a proven option on the outside again.

Washington is 5-3 and has won two straight road games, 38-26 at Purdue and 17-10 at Nebraska. The Huskies' three losses came against Minnesota, USC and Iowa, all within the last five games before that road swing. They have not allowed more than 16 points in any of their last two outings, so whichever receivers Penn State has available will face a defense that is playing well.

On this site's Penn State at Washington board, the Huskies are a narrow favorite. Novig has Washington at -125 on the moneyline, and the best price anywhere is -120 at theScore Bet. Penn State is +117 at Novig. Novig has Washington favored by 2.5 points at -104, while theScore Bet lists the Huskies at -1.5 for -115, so the 12 venues differ by about a point on the spread. The total is 44.5 at Novig. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 3.3% to 6.4%.

Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. Eastern on FS1.