Penn State Coach James Franklin Addresses Overturned Fumble Call vs. Oregon Ducks

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks beat the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions in a close matchup between two top-10 teams. After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin spoke about the loss against Oregon and the overturned call regarding the Nittany Lions' fumble recovery.

Penn State football head coach James Franklin watches the Appoquinimink vs. Howard football game at Appoquinimink in Middletown on Sept. 19, 2025. Howard won 46-39. | Benjamin Chambers/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks beat the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions 30-24 in a top-10 matchup that went into double overtime. Both defenses put on a top-notch performance, making it a tough, physical game.

In the third quarter of the game, Oregon running back Noah Whittington fumbled the ball, resulting in a Penn State recovery and a long return. At first, it felt as though the momentum was shifting towards Penn State, but the call was overturned as replay review determined that Whittington’s knee hit the ground.

The Oregon Ducks ended up scoring a touchdown on the next play to take the lead, taking the momentum right back. Penn State coach James Franklin spoke to the media about the loss during his postgame press conference.

James Franklin On Fumble Recovery Being Overturned

Sep 13, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks on the field prior to the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

“Obviously, early on, the turnover that we thought we got that got overturned. Obviously, the turnover at the end of the game. Neither offense was explosive,” Franklin said.

“The fumble, to be honest with you, nothing was explained on the sideline. They said that the runner’s knee was down basically before he broke the tackle and kept running when the ball came out. They said his knee was down. Obviously, you guys probably had better views of it than I did. But, I didn’t get a whole lot more of an explanation than that,” Franklin said.

What James Franklin Said About Loss To Oregon

“First of all, obviously, you’ve got to give Oregon a ton of credit. Came in here in a very difficult environment and made plays when they had to. So, hats off. Gotta give them their due.” Franklin said.

“We weren’t able to get anything going early in the game on offense,” Franklin continued. “[Oregon] were all able to stay on schedule. On first down, get ahead of the stick. Get into third and manageable situations. Actually, we did pretty well on third down, but they were able to go for it on fourth down because it was manageable situations.”

Penn State football head coach James Franklin arrives with the rest of the Nittany Lions before the start of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Obviously, it's a really good team. And we’re a really good team. And we gotta find ways to win those games. I get it, but your point is we played a really good team today and we struggled to move the ball effectively on offense,” Franklin said.

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Tough Defensive Matchup

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The final score does not reflect the low-scoring defensive game. It took until the third quarter for a team to score a touchdown, with it being 3-3 at halftime. Both programs’ defense showed why they are among the best in the nation.

Penn State has two talented running backs, but Oregon's defense was able to limit the big plays throughout the game. It took Penn State until the fourth quarter to have a play reach over 10 yards, with a run by running back Kaytron Allen. On the same drive, the Ducks scored their first touchdown of the game.

In the end, it came down to a defensive stop, with Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman intercepting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar to seal the game for the Ducks.

The Penn State defense is the toughest unit that the Ducks have faced so far this season, and quarterback Dante Moore showed how he handles the pressure. Moore knew when to take the ball himself, which helped the Ducks' offense drive down the field.

Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up before a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Moore finished the game going 29-of-39 for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 10 carries for 35 yards. He did throw an interception while attempting the two-point conversion in overtime.

Oregon and coach Dan Lanning showed aggressiveness against the Ducks, going for it on fourth down multiple times, including on their own side of the field. In a game with such high stakes, with a close score, the aggression was what was needed.

Despite a tough defensive unit from Penn State, running back Dierre Hill Jr. had himself a game. Hill finished the game with 10 carries for 82 yards. He also had two receptions for 12 yards and one touchdown.

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks earned a big win heading into a bye in week 6. The Ducks will next return to Autzen Stadium to face the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers on Oct. 11.