STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State coach James Franklin’s countenance didn’t change. He crossed his arms into a white Penn State sweatshirt. He answered the line of questioning about the latest loss against a top-10 opponent with the same calculated – not emotional – responses.
“We have a passionate fanbase – 111,000,” Franklin said. “The environment was awesome. They’re passionate. When we win, there’s nothing better. When we lose, there’s nothing worse. So, I get it.”
Outside that media room, white pom-poms lie in the walkways. Penn State filed out of the stadium with the stare that only comes from another almost-moment on the prime-time stage. No. 6 Oregon defeated No. 3 Penn State 30-24 in double overtime at Beaver Stadium on Saturday in a game that embodied what the Nittany Lions are — and what they haven’t been able to break through with Franklin and quarterback Drew Allar.
The second overtime took two plays from scrimmage to affirm the narrative. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore hit a wide-open Gary Bryant Jr. for a TD and a 30-24 lead. Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton intercepted the two-point conversion pass, and the Nittany Lions had their chance to win a perception-altering “Whiteout” after rallying from a two-score deficit in the fourth quarter.
Allar, however, tried to fit a pass to tight end Luke Reynolds on first down. Safety Dillon Thieneman skied for a leaping interception. Oregon players raced toward the Penn State student section. They ignored those white pom-poms being thrown in their direction. The Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) remained unbeaten in Big Ten regular-season play since joining the conference last season.
MORE: Ducks taunt Penn State student section after win
James Franklin answers for another top-10 loss
“Mo Bamba.” “Welcome to the Jungle.” “Crazy Train.” Fireworks. The “Whiteout” is arguably the loudest and without a doubt the best spectacle in all of college football.
But there’s a difference between a tough place to play and a tough place to win. Penn State is now 2-6 in “Whiteouts” against top-10 teams – with the last victory a 24-21 victory against No. 2 Ohio State on Oct. 22, 2016 on Grant Haley’s legendary blocked field-goal return.
That moment almost happened again. On first-and-goal from the Penn State 9-yard line, Oregon’s Noah Whittingham appeared to fumble after a hit from Chaz Coleman, which Zakee Wheatley scooped up and returned to the 49-yard line. The official review, however, ruled that Whittingham’s knee was down. The Ducks scored on the next play for a 10-3 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter.
Yet that’s the story with Franklin. The Nittany Lions are now 4-21 against top-10 teams. Despite the success – which included a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season – Penn State has not been able to win games like this.
Everything is criticized now, too. Franklin opted to punt from the Oregon 36-yard line in the third quarter on fourth-and-9, which drew boos from the crowd. What is he supposed to do there?
“I kinda look at the entire picture,” Franklin said. “I get that narrative, and it’s really not a narrative. It’s factual. It’s the facts. I get it. I try to look at the entire picture, and what we’ve done here but at the end of the day we’ve gotta find a way to win those games.”
MORE: James Franklin’s updated record vs. top-10 teams
Drew Allar talks game-ending interception
Allar sat in the post-game press conference with almost the same expression he had after facing No. 3 Ohio State in a 20-12 loss on Oct. 21, 2023. He spun a water bottle between his hands and answered the question about the first pass in double overtime three times.
“I tried to get it over the guy’s head, and he jumped up and caught the ball,” Allar said.
Allar was 6 of 12 for 45 yards in the first half, and the Nittany Lions were 3 of 8 on third down. Yet after the Ducks took a 17-3 lead with 12:25 remaining, the Nittany Lions finally picked up the offense.
On the last two drives in the fourth quarter, Allar was 5 of 7 for 80 yards. He hit Devonte Ross for two TDs. Allar also had four carries for 33 yards, including a 20-yard run up the middle. The offensive line pushed Kaytron Allen through the pile. Penn State had all the momentum heading into overtime. Yet it was Moore, the Oregon quarterback, who led two TD drives in the extra periods.
Moore finished 29 of 39 for 248 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. Allar finished 14 of 27 for 135 yards, two TDs and that game-ending interception.
Allar threw his hands in the air after the play. He is now 1-6 against top-10 teams with a 50.7% completion percentage, 153.8 yards per game, 10 TDs and five interceptions. Franklin said it’s easy to be critical of Allar – especially in the first half – but the Nittany Lions were in too many third-and-long situations.
“Drew’s been as good as any quarterback in the country when it comes to touchdown to interception ratio over his time,” Franklin said. “But obviously that was a critical one,” Franklin said.
MORE: Drew Allar’s history of late-game interceptions
Where does Penn State go after the Oregon loss?
The Nittany Lions play UCLA, Northwestern and Iowa – a stretch that should be manageable given Franklin hasn’t lost to an unranked opponent since a 20-18 nine-overtime loss to Illinois on Oct. 23, 2021.
A trip to Ohio State on Nov. 1 and a home game against No. 11 Indiana the following week will be the next defining moments. Penn State’s defense is elite – Amare Campbell and Wheatley combined for 25 tackles – but the offense will need to find more chunk plays. Oregon had six plays of 20 yards or more. Penn State had two.
“We’re going to get more opportunities down the road to fix this, and I’ll be the first to go into the fire. There is no other coaching staff or team that I would rather go to war with,” Allar said. “We’re going to make the most of this opportunity.”
Allar was asked how this loss felt compared to the 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the CFP semifinals last season.
“It’s pretty much the same,” Allar said. “That’s how I feel about every loss.”
It’s on Penn State to change that feeling once and for all, otherwise the same questions will be asked again. Penn State knows who it wants to be – but this is a school whose mantra is “We are.”
You gotta be that sometime. That narrative won’t change until that next top-10 test. Franklin gets that.
“We’ve gotta tune out all the noise from this, and we have to get better from this and get on a roll for the rest of the season,” Franklin said.
