Fiesta Bowl offers another marquee game

Penn State and Washington had national-title aspirations dashed with midseason losses.

Both teams shook off those losses to reach the Fiesta Bowl, giving the big game in the desert another marquee match-up.

Penn State’s yard-churning rushing offense against Washington’s stingy defense. The Huskies’ highscoring offense against the Nittany Lions’ low-scoring defense.

A one-time Heisman Trophy front-runner in Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. Record-breaking receiver/punt returner Dante Pettis of Washington. Prolific quarterback on both teams; Jake Browning for Washington, Trace McSorley at Penn State.

Program-building coaches in Washington’s Chris Petersen and Penn State’s James Franklin. What’s not to like? “Although both of our programs have been a part of national championship discussions over the last couple of years and they were in the playoffs, I do feel like both teams are really excited about this opportunity and playing in this game,” Franklin said.

Penn State (10-2) won its first seven games to reach No. 2 in the AP Top 25, only to drop out of the national-title conversation

with consecutive losses to Ohio State and Michigan State.

The Nittany Lions closed the season with three straight wins to have a chance to earn the program’s first win in a major bowl since 2006.

Washington (10-2) was in the CFP conversation for the second straight season after winning its first six games and reaching No. 5 in the AP poll.

The Huskies had a surprising loss to unranked Arizona State to drop back and followed with a loss to Stanford to finish No. 11 in the final CFP rankings.

“It has a chance to be a fantastic bowl game,” Petersen said.

A few more things to look for in the Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on Saturday:

Pettis returns

Keep an eye on Washington’s Pettis. He’s one of the greatest punt returners in NCAA history and a threat to score any time he touches the ball. Pettis holds the NCAA record with nine punt returns for touchdowns and has four this season.