Penn State Insider Details James Franklin Pressure, Drew Allar's 'Underwhelming' Start

The Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions are set for their Big Ten showdown. It will be a sight to see the No. 3 ranked Nittany Lions host the No. 6 Ducks in front of a White Out crowd. Here's the outlook of this game from a Penn State insider.

Sep 6, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks on the field prior to the game against the Florida International Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks have their toughest test so far this season when they go on the road to face the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions. Here is what Mark Wogenrich of Penn State on SI had to say from the Nittany Lions point of view in lead up to this massive game.

How Big Is This Game for James Franklin? Taking Into Account The “He Can’t Win Big Games” Narrative?

Penn State head coach James Franklin argues a penalty call at the end of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In that context, this might be the most important regular-season game of James Franklin’s career. You probably know the numbers: Franklin is 4-20 against AP top 10 teams and hasn’t beaten a top-10 team at home since 2016 (Ohio State). The narrative weighs on the program to the point that Franklin addressed it this summer.

“If we want the narrative to change, we’ve got an opportunity to change it,” Franklin said. “We want people to shut up? We can shut them up real easy.”

Penn State has not lost a regular-season game to a team other than Ohio State or Michigan in the past three years. It’s 37-8 since 2022 and has won six straight White Out games. To that fans say, “Great. Now go beat Oregon.”

How Has Drew Allar Looked With Another Year of Experience as Penn State Starting Quarterback?

Sep 6, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Florida International Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Allar is off to an underwhelming start. If stats move you, he ranks 65th nationally in completion percentage, 80th in yards per attempt and 106th in ESPN’s QBR. 

More than that, Allar hasn’t found his rhythm consistently and oddly misses his easiest throws. Against FIU, for example, he had running back Nicholas Singleton alone in the flat and threw the ball three yards ahead of him. He’s also 6-for-15 on third down. And yet Allar still can drive the ball through a keyhole at any moment. Watch the touchdown pass he made to Trebor Pena against Villanova. That throw beats any defense. Still, Allar has been Penn State’s biggest enigma this season. 

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What Makes This Penn State Team Better (Or Worse) Than Last Year’s Team?

Sep 13, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) runs with the ball which would result in a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

It’s pretty remarkable that Penn State could be better after losing two first-round draft picks in Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren. Yet as a whole, it is. Franklin pulled off a savvy retention plan by bringing back Allar, Singleton and Kaytron Allen in the backfield, four starting offensive linemen, two potential all-Big Ten defensive linemen in Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant and a possible first-round draft pick in cornerback AJ Harris. 

Franklin then went to the portal for three starting receivers, a starting middle linebacker and the most expensive assistant coach in college football (defensive coordinator Jim Knowles). He hired Knowles to help him beat Oregon and Ohio State. As Franklin has said repeatedly, this team has the best combination of talent and personnel in his 12 seasons at Penn State. Time to prove it.

Who is a Penn State Player That Not Enough People Are Talking About?

Sep 13, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Luke Reynolds (85) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Tight end Luke Reynolds isn’t Tyler Warren, or even Kenyon Sadiq, but he’ll give the Ducks ulcers if they don’t pay attention. Reynolds is that tight end who’s an open-field athlete. He catches everything and is one of the offense’s top threats in yards after catch. He also played a little quarterback in high school, which makes him a low-key Wildcat threat. Penn State hasn’t run that play yet but might unveil it against Oregon. 

Penn State Wins if and Loses If...

Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington (6) carries the ball Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game between the Oregon Ducks and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions, 45-37. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is Drew Allar’s game above all else. He can’t go 16-for-29, like he did against Villanova, and expect to lead enough scoring drives to match Oregon’s output. That the Ducks have allowed one sack in four games is astonishing, but Penn State’s edge rushers (notably Dennis-Sutton) can uproot that advantage.

In fact, Penn State’s defense and special teams appear to be in the proper form for this game. But the offense has fought itself, and Allar hasn’t played a particularly compelling game yet. So fair or not, both “ifs” rest primarily on Allar’s shoulders.