There's a strong case to be made that Drew Allar cost Penn State a chance to go to the title game. Would they have beaten Ohio State? There's no way to tell, but they never got the chance. Allar's costly, untimely turnover against Notre Dame effectively prevented that from happening.
In 2025, the Nittany Lions are once again leaning on their QB to bring them to new heights. They're the AP Poll's number two team in the country right now, ahead of Ohio State. But what if Allar just isn't it?
The Athletic's Ralph D. Russo wondered if Allar might not be the problem, and if he might be the reason this season goes awry for one of the best teams in football.
"What if it wasn’t the receivers holding Drew Allar back but vice versa? Allar has left a lot to be desired against the best competition," Russo said. Allar struggled a lot during the playoff, notably against Notre Dame in the final game.
"Head coach James Franklin flipped the receiver room through the transfer portal to give his quarterback more weapons, but without further improvement from Allar, it might not matter," the analyst concluded. There's a lot riding on this season, including Penn State's title hopes and Allar's NFL dreams.