Penn State's nightmare season just took its most devastating turn yet—star quarterback Drew Allar is done for the year.
In a heartbreaking twist, the Nittany Lions not only suffered their third straight loss—a stunning 22-21 upset by Northwestern—but also lost their starting QB to a season-ending ankle injury in the final minutes. Head coach James Franklin confirmed the grim news postgame, leaving fans to wonder: How much worse can this collapse get?
Here's the brutal reality: Just three weeks ago, Penn State was the No. 3 team in the nation. Now? They’ve fallen to Oregon, UCLA, and now Northwestern—a team few expected to topple them. And here’s where it gets even tougher: Allar’s injury came on a critical 4th-down play with 3:31 left, trailing by a single point. After being tackled short of the first down, he limped off, was carted to the locker room, and later learned his college career was over. Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer couldn’t salvage the drive, and Northwestern sealed the win.
But here’s the controversial part: Was Allar ever the right fit for this offense? The senior entered 2024 with sky-high expectations but never fully delivered, finishing with 1,100 passing yards, 8 TDs, and 3 picks in six games. ESPN’s Pete Thamel raised eyebrows this week, suggesting offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s horizontal schemes clashed with Penn State’s need for a vertical attack. “It’s not about blame,” Thamel said, “but this pairing never quite clicked.”
Now, Allar’s focus shifts to the NFL—where scouts will surely debate whether his struggles were due to system fit or his own limitations. Meanwhile, Penn State must regroup without their leader.
So we ask you: Was this season derailed by bad luck, coaching mismatches, or something deeper? Could Allar thrive in the pros? Drop your take in the comments—let’s hear the heated debates.
