Last Saturday, the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions took on the No. 6 Oregon Ducks at home. Drew Allar and Co. found another way to lose to a Top 10 team that they could’ve won. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime. Then, it was 17-3 coming into the fourth quarter before a comeback from the Nittany Lions. PSU still couldn’t pull away in OT, as they allowed two TDs and proceeded to throw a game-ending interception. As a result, certain people weren’t impressed.
Drew Allar Slammed With Harsh Criticism Given by CFB Coach
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“Offense Looks Hard With Him”
According to a Big Ten Assistant Coach, Allar has the capabilities of an elite QB. The Coach went on: “He has a hose for an arm, but he misses throws he shouldn’t”. Allar so far has a 48.4 QBR, which isn’t very good at all for a potential stud. Allar has six TDs and two interceptions. However, the offense has looked awful so far this season, with Penn State ranking in the bottom sixth in passing offense.
Drew Allar throws an INT and the Ducks win it in Happy Valley!
What an ending!#GoDucks #Oregon
— CFB Saturday Slate w/ Mick N Bus (@CFB_SatSlate) September 28, 2025
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An NFL Scout also claimed, Â “I don’t know if he’s so afraid to make mistakes. You just want to see him cut it loose more.” It feels like many of the close losses over the last few seasons against elite teams have been on the offense, not the defense.
Penn State Hasn’t Been Elite Offensively With Allar
Against Ohio State last season, the Nittany Lions scored just 13 points, while they also scored just 24 points against Notre Dame last season in the playoffs. Last season, the Nittany Lions ranked right in the middle of the Big Ten with just 227 passing yards per game. The season before that, the Nittany Lions again ranked close to the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Overall, that might not sound too bad. However, when your team is in need of defeating the top three teams almost every season, it is quite important to be better than average.
Ohio State has owned Penn State since 2016, while every once in a while, the Michigan Wolverines or someone else gives them significant trouble. Allar was seen as one of the best QBs in the nation. However, I would take nearly half of the Big Ten starting QBs over Allar right now (it is an elite group, folks). In the Big Ten, not having a good QB is basically writing a handbook on how to lose the big games- not to mention that int was one of the ugliest thrown in his career.
Allar and Penn State have Work To Do
Here is the remaining schedule:
@UCLA (easy win)
Vs. Northwestern (also an easy win)
@Iowa (probably won’t be a pretty game to see, but still a likely win)
@Ohio State (!)
Vs. Indiana (!)
@Michigan State (probable easy win)
Vs. Nebraska (not exactly a walk in the park)
@Rutgers
Overall, this schedule includes four defenses that are challenging. Iowa is always a struggle to play offense again, while Ohio State and Indiana have been elite on the defensive side of the ball. Nebraska’s secondary has had the best secondary in the nation by far, presenting a challenge for Allar. Overall, one more loss, and especially two more could eliminate the Nittany Lions from playoff contention.
Allar is still probably one of the best QBs in the country. However, even in his senior year, Allar has struggled in the big moments. In order to actually be a high draft, or in order for Penn State to compete, there needs to be better QB play. Commonly, the more elite the quarterback, the more elite the team. PSU needs to start winning the big games, or they will never truly compete.
Main Image: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
