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Penn State stepped under the bright lights, desperate to vanquish Notre Dame and advance to the national championship. A semifinals appearance in the College Football Playoff did not vindicate its past high-stakes failures. Put simply, Thursday night's Orange Bowl was a program-defining game, and head coach James Franklin headed into the locker room with another heart-wrenching defeat on his resume.
He was forced to complete a familiar routine– address the media after losing to a top-five opponent. Franklin was not alone, with running back Nick Singleton and quarterback Drew Allar fielding questions from reporters while also processing the end of their season. The former rushed for three touchdowns and accumulated more than 100 yards from scrimmage. The latter struggled mightily, throwing for only 135 yards and committing the game-sealing interception with a little over 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
Franklin did not point fingers, though. He commended both players following the 27-24 loss. “Could not be more proud of these two young men,” the 11-year Nittany Lions HC said, per The Athletic's Audrey Snyder.
The comments section is bombarding Allar with mockery, but Franklin is offering some praise. He is not merely referring to the young QB's performance, however, as there is admittedly little to celebrate from an execution standpoint. No, Franklin is ostensibly praising Allar's character and perseverance.
James Franklin shows Drew Allar some love during a low moment
The 20-year-old out of Medina, Ohio did not rise to the occasion on this night, but he clearly has his coach's respect. Allar made a big leap as a passer this season, and while he did scuffle down the stretch, he gave Penn State fans hope that the national title could finally be a realistic objective.
In the end, though, the program is stuck in the same place it has occupied for much of the James Franklin era. The Lions are a really good but not great squad that wilts against upper tier competition. There is plenty of accountability to go around. Allar made key mistakes, the wide receivers were stunningly quiet and the defense staggered in the second half.
The back-breaking interception will overshadow everything else because of when it occurred, but cornerback Cam Miller slipped on Jaden Greathouse's 54-yard game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Penn State football as a group, including the much-maligned Franklin, did not get it done in Hard Rock Stadium.
When the CFP began, the consensus was that this team had a highly navigable path to the semifinals and a potential shot at making the title game. Based on how the bracket shook out, it is difficult for fans to relish the overall experience. Franklin, on the other hand, is doing his best to emphasize some of the positives to come out of the 2024-25 journey.
His pride must translate into tangible results, however. Ideally, Drew Allar and the rest of the Nittany Lions will quickly learn from this agonizing defeat and channel the pain into a gripping redemption story. One thing is for sure, University Park is desperate for the page to turn on this ongoing Penn State football narrative.
