The Penn State football team dropped a key conference game on Saturday night. Penn State lost to Oregon in a double overtime game, 30-24. Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar threw a key interception that ended up dooming the squad.

“I tried to get the ball over the guy's head,” Allar said after the game, per ESPN. “He jumped up and caught the ball.”

It was a devastating loss for Penn State. Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin is now 4-21 in his career, against top 10 teams. Penn State was picked by many to hold serve at home and defeat the Ducks. The loss also severely hurts the team's chances of making the Big Ten championship game.

Franklin says he understands the disappointment, as he lost his 21st game to a top 10 team.

“I get that narrative, and it's really not a narrative — it's factual. It's the facts,” Franklin said. “I try to look at the entire picture and what we've been able to do here. But at the end of the day, we got to find a way to win those games. I totally get it. And I take ownership. I take responsibility.”

Oregon is 5-0 on the season following the win. Penn State falls to 3-1, and doesn't have a win this season over a power 4 football team.

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Penn State football must now regroup and move on

The Nittany Lions have struggled to win games against the Big Ten's top teams. Franklin says he is well-aware that Penn State fans are very angry at him.

“We have a passionate fan base,” Franklin said. “When we win, there's nothing better. When we lose, there's nothing worse. So I get it. I get the frustration that comes with a fan base that is invested and cares.”

Penn State was able to make the College Football Playoff in 2024, advancing to the semi-finals. The team entered the 2025 season with hopes to return to the CFP. While that is still a possibility, the team's chances took a hit on Saturday.

“Obviously, it hurts,” Penn State quarterback Allar said. “We had our opportunities. … But it's a long season ahead of us. We're going to have more opportunities to fix this, and I'll be the first one to go into the fire.”

The Nittany Lions are next in action on Saturday against lowly UCLA.