Just three days after quarterback Drew Allar vowed that Penn State was “more motivated than ever” to rebound from its stunning loss to UCLA, the Nittany Lions suffered another crushing blow, this time falling 22-21 to unranked Northwestern.
What was supposed to be a redemption game quickly turned into another chapter in a spiraling season.
According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, this marks the first time since 2020, and just the second time since 2014, that Penn State has lost to multiple unranked opponents in a single season.
The Nittany Lions are now 3-3, with upcoming matchups against Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 7 Indiana looming.
Brett McMurphy of On3 added further context to the collapse, noting that Penn State has now dropped three consecutive games for the first time since 2021, when the team finished 7-6 and missed the College Football Playoff. The parallels to that season are unsettling for a program that entered 2025 with top-10 expectations.
To make matters worse, Drew Allar left the game late in the fourth quarter after sustaining an apparent leg injury. The 21-year-old quarterback limped off the field before being taken to the locker room on a cart.
Allar finished with 137 passing yards and an interception, while Penn State’s offense again struggled to find rhythm against a defense it was heavily favored to dominate.
With their playoff hopes all but gone, the Nittany Lions will look to regroup ahead of a brutal three-game stretch that could define the rest of their season, and perhaps the future direction of the program itself.
