Tag: Drew Allar

Best photos from Penn State’s College Football Playoff win over SMU

Check out some of the best images from Penn State’s first-round win over SMU in the College Football Playoff.

Penn State made its College Football Playoff debut with a laugher in front of a packed Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The frigid temperatures couldn’t keep the defense from heating up with a pair of defensive touchdowns in the first half to set the tone for a 38-10 victory over SMU in the first round of the playoff.

Noon kickoffs in Happy Valley tend to have mixed reviews, but the crowd was fired up for the historic first College Football Playoff game in Beaver Stadium history. And despite the cold weather, the scene looked fantastic.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s dominating victory over SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff from Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

Penn State will take on Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, which will be the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff. The Fiesta Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 31 in Glendale, Arizona.

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Penn State clobbers SMU in College Football Playoff, 38-10

Penn State will face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl after a blowing out SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Penn State’s defense set the tone with a pair of pick-sixes against SMU and the offense eventually got things rolling in a one-sided affair in the first College Football Playoff game in Penn State and Beaver Stadium history. Penn State dominated SMU to advance to the quarterfinal round with a 38-10 victory on Saturday afternoon in chilly Happy Valley.

[autotag]Dominic DeLuca[/autotag] will be the answer to a new Penn State football trivia question. It was DeLuca who scored the first touchdown in Penn State playoff history when he jumped in front of a pass from SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings and returned it nearly uncontested for a 23-yard pick-six in the first quarter. With the Penn State offense still working on thawing out, linebacker [autotag]Tony Rojas[/autotag] gave Penn State a second defensive touchdown in the second quarter with 59-yard pick-six as Jennings was under pressure once again by the defensive front of Penn State.

The offense did eventually get things moving with the running game starting to pick up some steam. Touchdown runs by [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and [autotag]Nicholas Singleton[/autotag] in the second quarter helped give Penn State a commanding 28-0 lead at halftime. The two running backs ended the day with three combined touchdowns (Allen had a second touchdown run in the fourth quarter to push the Penn State lead to 38-3).

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] was not particularly sharp but did complete 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards before getting an early rest in the fourth quarter with things comfortably in hand for the Nittany Lions. [autotag]Ethan Grunkemeyer[/autotag] finished the game under center for Penn State, taking advantage of the opportunity to get some live experience following the departure of Beau Pribula by way of the transfer portal earlier in the week.

It was a relatively quiet afternoon for Penn State’s star tight end Tyler Warren. Warren caught four passes for 33 yards and ran once for six yards. Warren also attempted a pass, but it fell incomplete. Expect Warren to have a bigger role in the next round.

Penn State will now head to the Fiesta Bowl for a quarterfinal round matchup with Boise State, champions of the Mountain West Conference. Penn State has never faced Boise State but has enjoyed some storied success in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State faces Boise State on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The winner of that game will face the winner of the quarterfinal-round matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame.

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Another top QB prospect opts to return to school for 2025

Another top QB prospect, Penn State’s Drew Allar, opts to return to school for 2025

The quarterback draft class of 2025 keeps getting thinner at the top. One of the presumptive top-five QBs, Penn State’s Drew Allar, announced his intention to return to school for another season.

Allar posted his decision on social media, noting that he’s focused on “making more memories with my teammates” at Penn State. The junior led the Nittany Lions to the CFP, where Penn State is the No. 6 seed. Allar’s announcement comes a day after his primary backup formally announced he is entering the transfer portal.

Allar’s post on his social media channels:

His decision takes another potential top-50 overall pick out of the 2025 NFL Draft pool. Allar joins LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier as touted quarterback prospects who will stay in school for another season, further weakening what looks like a very thin class at QB.

Drew Allar announces his return to Penn State in 2025

Drew Allar is excited for what the future holds in 2025.

Penn State saw some clear improvement in the offense this season with a new offensive coordinator in charge, and it looks like Andy Kotelnicki is going to get another year to work with starting quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag]. Allar released a statement on his social media account to confirm he will be back in a Penn State uniform in 2025.

“This season has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life playing football and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team,” Allar said on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account on Monday. “I know there’s still more work to do which is why I look forward to making more memories with my teammates this year and beyond.”

Allar has passed for a career-high 2,894 yards and saw his completion percentage go up 10 points this season, his first under Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator. Allar’s passing yardage increased by more than 200 yards this season despite throwing 65 fewer pass attempts so far this season. Allar has also thrown 21 touchdowns, four shy of his 25 thrown in 2023, but Allar will now have the benefit of at least one extra game after helping lead Penn State to the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoff this season.

Allar’s decision comes less than 24 hours after it was reported that quarterback Beau Pribula is entering the transfer portal and leaving the team ahead of the playoff. Pribula had been Allar’s primary backup quarterback and he was inserted into the offense at times in place of Allar, or at the same time as Allar in some cases, to change things up a bit. With Pribula gone, Allar will be counted on to keep things moving without relying on his quarterback partner to take some pressure off at times. Of course, tight-end Tyler Warren is still around and capable of taking some snaps at times.

The timing of the Pribula and Allar headlines may not be coincidental.

Allar and Penn State will host SMU this Saturday afternoon for a first-round matchup in the College Football Playoff. The winner will advance to the quarterfinal round to face Mountain West Conference champion Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

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Andy Kotlenicki states he is looking forward to 2025 at Penn State

One of Penn State’s newest additions to the football staff isn’t looking to move on in 2025.

Penn State offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] has been highly regarded for his offensive mind, and it is no wonder why he has seen his name floating around the college football coaching rumor mill once again during this round of the coaching carousel. But Kotelnicki seems ready to shift his focus entirely on the 2025 season in Happy Valley after this current run to the College Football Playoff.

With his name being floating as a potential head coaching candidate at West Virginia, Kotelnicki took to social media on Monday to say he is looking forward to what comes next for the Nittany Lions. The brief statement resonated well with fans, players, and recruits as it looks as though Penn State will get another year with Kotelnicki cooking with the offense.

“Beyond lucky to be a part of the Penn State Football Family,” Kotelnicki said on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account on Monday evening. “Still a lot to accomplish this season and I am looking forward to what 2025 has in store for our program!”

Penn State’s offense ranked 15th in the nation with an average of 448.6 yards per game this season. In 2023, Penn State ranked 55th in total offense with an average of 399.8 yards per game. Penn State saw an uptick in the number of explosive plays this season under Kotelnicki, although the red zone touchdown percentage and average scoring numbers went down slightly this season. But the overall impact of Kotelnicki as offensive coordinator saw a resurgence in the running game and improved play from [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag].

There are some questions about whether Drew Allar will return next season or not. Allar is an interesting NFL draft prospect who has the tools for the next level, and he shined in some big moments this season to draw the attention of NFL draft scouts. But there could also be some room to improve if he returns for another season and gets to work with Kotelnicki for another year.

For now, Kotelnicki and Allar are working to prepare for Penn State’s first College Football Playoff game in program history. Penn State is scheduled to host SMU in the first round of the playoff, which expanded to 12 teams this year. Kickoff in Beaver Stadium between the Nittany Lions and Mustangs is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 21.

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Penn State’s Big Ten title hopes come up short in 45-37 loss to Oregon

Penn State awaits its College Football Playoff fate after losing to Oregon in the Big Ten championship game.

For as good as Penn State’s defense has been this season, not even they could find a way to stop arguably the most dynamic offense in college football. Penn State’s defense was bewildered by No. 1 Oregon on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and lost by a final score of 45-37. Penn State was not quite equipped to get into a track meet going up and down the field with Oregon, but they will come away from this one knowing they left some opportunities to waste in this battle against the Ducks.

Penn State’s defense could not stop the Oregon offensive attack in the first quarter. Dillon Gabriel led two masterful drives for touchdowns on each of Oregon’s full offensive series in the first quarter. Each drive was aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty on Penn State, including one on Tony Rojas on what would have been a fourth-down stop on Oregon’s second possession.

Penn State answered each time with two scoring drives on their first two possessions. The first drive ended with a field goal but [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] connected with a streaking [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] over the middle for a 22-yard touchdown to pulled Penn State within 14-10. Penn State was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the ensuing kickoff, though, and Oregon started with the football at the Penn State 40-yard line, and two plays later Tez Johnson took Oregon into Penn State territory. A big catch by Johnson on the first play of the second quarter put Oregon in a 1st and Goal situation and Oregon soon took a 21-10 lead with Gabriel’s third touchdown pass of the game, to tight end Terrance Ferguson.

Penn State’s defense came up with its first stop of the game but the offense was backed up deep in its end after a booming Oregon punt. Allar was then picked off by Dontae Manning at the Penn State 25-yard line and Manning returned the football to the one-yard line, setting Jordan James up for an easy touchdown to push the Oregon lead to 28-10.

Allar bounced back on the next possession to orchestrate a touchdown drive. [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] injected some energy into the offense with his physical running and catching, and Allar locked in on Omari Evans for a 22-yard touchdown to cap a 75-yard drive, cutting Oregon’s lead to 28-17.

Following a strong three-and-out by the defense, Allar and the offense got back to work to inch a little bit closer before halftime. Allar scored on the ground to cut the Oregon leader to 28-14, but the Ducks tacked on field goal just before halftime to take a seven-point lead into the break. The 55 combined points set a new Big Ten record for combined points scored in the championship game. The previous record was 52 by Wisconsin and Nebraska in 2012.

Penn State did make things interesting at the start of the fourth quarter by finishing off a 98-yard touchdown drive, which was ignited with a hands-to-the-face penalty on Oregon at the start of the drive and finished by a Kaytron Allen touchdown run. Rather than kick an extra point though, Penn State opted for a two-point conversion attempt but Tyler Warren was stopped well short of the goal line to keep things at 38-30.

Oregon added to their lead to take a 45-30 lead but Allar and the Nittany Lions roared back for one more score when Allar got away from a defender holding on to his jersey and completed a fourth-down touchdown pass to [autotag]Harrison Wallace III[/autotag]. The defense held firm for a big stand and Penn State got the ball back one more time. But out of the two-minute warning, Allar heaved a ball down the right sideline to Wallace and was picked off by Nikko Reed, and the Ducks managed to work the remainder of the clock to celebrate a Big Ten championship in its first season in the conference.

Oregon proved once again why they came into the Big Ten with high hopes and why they are the top-ranked team in the country. Penn State’s defense has been stellar all season but had no answers for what Oregon wanted to do on offense. Despite some good moments, it was not enough against the Ducks, who scored more points on Penn State than any team did this season. Oregon will be the trendy national championship pick going into the playoff after securing the first-round bye as Big Ten champion and locking up the top seed in the playoff. Could a rematch be in the cards for Penn State?

Penn State will now await their College Football Playoff fate on Sunday from the selection committee. The Nittany Lions will still be heading to the playoff, and should still be in line to host a first-round playoff game. The seeding could be in question, especially after Texas lost in the SEC championship game and fell out of position for a first-round bye. Penn State may still be looking to host a first-round College Football Playoff game, but a lot hangs in unchartered territory at the moment.

What’s next for Penn State? We’ll find out Sunday afternoon when the College Football Playoff bracket is officially unveiled.

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Previewing the Penn State offense before Saturday’s Big Ten title game

Penn State brings a capable offense to the Big Ten Championship Game led by a much-improved quarterback in Drew Allar against the Ducks.

When the Penn State offense could just muster up 13 points at home against Ohio State, it was thought their hopes of reaching the Big Ten Championship Game went down the drain.

But the Nittany Lions bounced back, didn’t lose again, and find themselves back in Indianapolis to face the Ducks for the conference title on Saturday (5 pm PST, CBS) thanks to the Buckeyes faltering against Michigan. The winner will most likely have the 1-seed in the upcoming College Football Playoff.

Oregon will bring in a stingy defense that will look to stop a much-improved quarterback in Drew Allar and one of the best tight ends in the country in Tyler Warren.

Allar improved his completion percentage to 71 after making just 60 percent of his throws last season. Under the instruction of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Allar is more poised in the pocket and runs only when he has to. He averages 223 yards a game and 2,668 yards total to go along with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Penn State’s run game hasn’t been all that it hoped it would be this season, but tailback Nick Singleton seems to be as healthy has he has been all season and is ready to face Oregon. He averages nearly 70 yards a game and has seven touchdowns.

Warren is one of the top tight ends in the country with his 81 receptions, 978 yards, and six touchdowns. He was named to the First-Team All-Big Ten squad this week. The next highest reception total is Harrison Wallace’s 35 catches.

Penn State also has a formidable offensive line to contend with starting with 6-foot-4, 348-pounder Olaivavega Ioane from Graham, Wash. Nolan Rucci (6-8, 305 pounds) and Drew Shelton (6-5, 307) are alongside Sam Wormley (6-3, 327 pounds) and Nick Dawkins (6-4, 298 pounds).

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View from the stands as Penn State clinched a spot in Big Ten championship game

Penn State has one of the best atmosphere’s in all of college football, and I experienced it first hand in their regular season finale. Here are some reactions from Penn State vs Maryland

Penn State finished the regular season with a dominant 44-7 victory over Maryland, and I was able to witness it live. I grew up roughly two hours away from the Nittany Lions’ home in State College, but this was my first time seeing them play in person. There are plenty of observations I made while inside Beaver Stadium, but the first one that sticks out is the news about a different game happening in neighboring Ohio.

Ohio State had a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game locked up, assuming they could beat a mediocre Michigan team at home. As I was making my way to the stadium, I saw that the game was tied at halftime 10-10. After finding my seat, I heard a loud cheer in unison coming from down in the concession areas.

I checked my phone to see that Michigan had indeed taken down Ohio State, meaning Penn State just needed a win over Maryland to earn a meeting with Oregon in the Big Ten title game. The energy was incredible from all over the stadium, and it continued into the senior day presentations.

Head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] greeted each of his seniors as they announced their names and majors. It was a cool moment that reminds you that many of these players are students first, even at a blue blood like Penn State. The marching band and dancers were also very fun to see in person, and they were excellent even in the freezing temperatures.

The crowd was very large of course, but it was certainly not at full capacity. The announced attendance was around 104,000, but I would guess it was under 100,000 from my view. The student section was unfortunately pretty lackluster in this game, but the weather and underwhelming matchup likely had a lot to do with it.

The start of the game had some big reactions despite the smaller crowd than usual, with Penn State fumbling on the first drive and Maryland scoring on their first play of the game. The crowd was immediately on edge, especially knowing how important the game was with Ohio State’s loss. Penn State continued to have a slow start for the rest of the quarter, scoring just three points.

The second quarter, however, was electric. The crowd roared to life after [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] punched in a touchdown to take the lead, and that was just the beginning. Every third down from Maryland, the stadium would shake from the force of the crowd’s cheers. Each of Penn State’s four touchdown drives seemed to energize the crowd more and more, especially anytime record-breaking tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] was involved.

The second half started a bit quieter, with neither team doing much offensively in the third quarter. Backups began getting on the field for Penn State in the fourth, and many fans started heading for the exits once it became 38-7 early in the final quarter. Things got interesting late, with Penn State throwing a touchdown on the last play of the game.

The remaining fans loved it, and James Franklin strongly defended the decision in his postgame comments. It was an overall impressive showing by the team and an incredibly fun atmosphere to watch a football game. Outside of my experience in the stadium, seeing Penn State’s top players up close was also very rewarding.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag]’s arm talent jumps off the screen at home, but it’s even more impressive live. [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]’s explosiveness and agility are jaw-dropping in person as well, and he put it on display with a two-sack day. Tyler Warren looks even bigger and more imposing than he does on film. Overall, this team looks the part of a College Football Playoff contender.

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Best photos from Penn State’s regular season finale victory over Maryland

Check out the best photos from Penn State’s 44-7 victory over Maryland to close out the regular season.

The temperatures were frigid and Beaver Stadium was far from packed, but Penn State managed to close out the regular season in style with a 44-7 victory over Maryland. The win capped an 11-1 regular season and ultimately sends Penn State off to the Big Ten championship game for the second time in program history.

[autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] set a couple of records in the win as he polished off his awards profile for consideration, and [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] overcame a fumble on the first play of the game to score two touchdowns and return a long kickoff to spark the offense to the rout of the Terrapins.

Here are some of the best photos from Saturday’s regular-season finale victory over the Terrapins.

Penn State will play for the Big Ten championship next week. The Nittany Lions will face Oregon in Indianapolis, Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kcikoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Penn State smashes Maryland to clinch trip to Big Ten championship game

Penn State’s win, coupled with some help from Michigan, is sending the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship game next week!

In a year that has seen so many twists and turns in the college football season amid so many monumental changes to the entire landscape of the game, the Penn State Nittany Lions got a surprising helping hand from Michigan and took advantage of an opportunity to make a trip to the Big Ten championship game. Hours after Michigan handed Ohio State its second conference loss of the season, Penn State cruised its way to a 44-7 victory against Maryland. The win, coupled with Ohio State taking its second conference loss and owning a decisive tiebreaker over Indiana, sends Penn State to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since winning the Big Ten title in 2016.

It was an inauspicious start for Penn State as [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] fumbled away the football on the first play from scrimmage. Maryland struck right away with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Prather, a player who slipped away in the transfer portal for Penn State and took an early 7-0 lead just 14 seconds in to stun the partially-filled Beaver Stadium Thanksgiving weekend crowd.

But Penn State dug out of the slow start and early hole by scoring the next 38 points before halftime and put the game on cruise control in the second half. Singleton made up for his early fumble with a long kickoff return on the ensuing possession and rushed for 87 yards with two touchdowns. [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] added 34 rushing yards and quarterbacks [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag] each recorded short touchdown runs in the first half.

Tight end Tyler Warren was among the stars of the game once again. Warren set a new Penn State single-season touchdown reception record by a tight end and the Big Ten’s single-season receptions by a tight end record.

The win over Maryland all but guarantees Penn State a spot in the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in the Big Ten championship game. The selection committee is not expected to punish teams that lose in conference title games, although it remains to be seen if the Nittany Lions are going to be locked into a potential home game in the first round should they come up short next week in the Big Ten championship game.

Penn State can clinch a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff with a win next week against Oregon. The Ducks are in their first year in the Big Ten since moving over from the Pac-12 and came into the final week of the regular season as the only undefeated team left standing in the FBS (Oregon was hosts Washington Saturday night).

Penn State will face Oregon in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kickoff in Indy is set for 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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