It occurred to Penn State and head coach James Franklin once more. One other huge recreation, one other huge second and one other crushing loss. This time it was a devastating 30-24 double time beyond regulation loss to No. 6 Oregon.
What makes this one so dangerous is that Penn State appeared to have lastly slayed the beast that’s “the massive recreation” second. They erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, simply scored to open the primary time beyond regulation after which watched all of it crumble after that. Following Penn State’s time beyond regulation landing, Oregon scored on its two time beyond regulation possessions to regain the lead, after which clinched the sport by intercepting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar on the primary play of Penn State’s second time beyond regulation possession.
Penn State nonetheless has not modified the narrative
At this level, there’s a very established development for what each Penn State season goes to appear like below head coach James Franklin.
- Preseason hype about how that is the 12 months for a Nationwide Championship run.
- Numerous blowout wins in opposition to a comfortable non-conference schedule.
- Beating all the second, third and fourth-tier Huge Ten groups that aren’t critical contenders.
- After which they lose to each top-tier workforce they play.
This was Penn State’s first huge likelihood this season to alter the narrative on the latter level. And whereas it regarded terrible for 3 quarters, Penn State’s valiant fourth quarter comeback, and the way in which it began time beyond regulation, regarded prefer it would possibly lastly be ready to safe a signature, narrative-busting win.
Then it wasn’t.
It was merely extra of the identical.
If you wish to be charitable to Penn State and Franklin, you’ll be able to say it was a fantastic recreation, and so they confirmed a ton of braveness and coronary heart to struggle again from a horrible begin, and it was nonetheless a coin-flip recreation that got here right down to only one or two performs.
However why do you have to be charitable with them when that is how all of those video games go?
Franklin is now 4-21 all-time in opposition to top-10 groups, which is just not adequate for the place Penn State desires to be.
It’s unrealistic to anticipate any coach or workforce to win each recreation in opposition to a top-10 opponent, and even nearly all of them. You are going to lose a number of them. In some unspecified time in the future, nonetheless, if you wish to be a real nationwide championship contender, it’s a must to win not less than a few of them. You need to win the occasional one. You need to beat any person who’s on that degree.
It by no means occurs at Penn State.
They are going to get one other crack at it later this season after they journey to Columbus to play No. 1 Ohio State (their long-time nemesis). If that recreation is identical means, and so they lose a second Huge Ten recreation and yet one more recreation to a authentic contender, it should be awfully tough to take this program severely as being on that degree.
Drew Allar’s draft inventory could be sinking
When the 2025 season started, Allar was projected as a possible first-round decide within the 2026 NFL Draft class, and doubtlessly even a top-five decide with a robust sufficient season.
He has not carried out something to again up that projection, and Saturday’s recreation was particularly dangerous for his draft inventory.
Allar accomplished simply 14-of-25 passes for less than 137 yards, and whereas he did throw two touchdowns as a part of the fourth quarter comeback, he additionally threw one other game-deciding, back-breaking interception in an important second.
Even with Penn State’s undefeated report coming into Saturday, his play this season had taken a major step backward. Like the remainder of the workforce, he additionally fell quick in one other huge second. He has simply as a lot work to do in altering his narrative as Franklin does on the sidelines.
