Penn State’s Season Goes From Bad to Worse With Homecoming Loss to Northwestern

The stunning defeat follows the Nittany Lions' equally vexing loss to UCLA,

James Franklin and Penn State's season got even worse with Saturday's loss to Northwestern. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

First it was Oregon; Penn State's double-overtime loss to the Ducks might have been expected. Then it was UCLA—a historic loss to be sure, but the time change gave the Nittany Lions plausible deniality.

And then came Homecoming—supposedly an auto-win since its early 20th-century invention. In front of alumni near and far, Penn State lost 22–21 Northwestern Saturday to all but seal the Nittany Lions' College Football Playoff fate.

The loss completes a stunning fall from just nine months ago, when Penn State came up just short of beating Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl and advancing to the national championship. Quarterback Drew Allar struggled mightily, completing 13-of-20 passes for 137 yards and one interception before leaving with an injury.

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Leading Northwestern was quarterback Preston Stone, who completed 17-of-26 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats have now won three games in a row, including a victory over fellow Nittany Lion conquerors UCLA.

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