With Penn State‘s 2025 on the horizon, we’re rolling out a series of predictions over the next few weeks. Some will be big-picture. Some will be oddly specific. All predictions will be based on what we know from past seasons and the knowledge gathered from spring camp. Let’s do it.
Drew Allar is the guy in more ways than one this fall. We know the former five-star recruit and the face of the program will be Penn State’s starting quarterback for a third straight season. We also know Allar is viewed as a top-tier NFL draft prospect if he continues to make strides.
Penn State’s success — and whether or not the Nittany Lions will truly compete for a national championship — hinges on Allar’s growth and development.
Of course, it’s not all on his shoulders. The Nittany Lions have to replace Tyler Warren. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have to stay healthy and productive. An experienced offensive line has to continue to move bodies. And perhaps most importantly, the trio of portal receivers — Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson — have to perform.
But this is Allar’s time to shine. Some NFL draft experts have pegged the cannon-armed QB as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. That will only happen, though, if Allar builds on his impressive 2024 season, when he completed 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and 8.4 yards per attempt. Pretty darn good.
But Allar has to overcome the big-game narrative attached to him. The last time we saw Allar was the interception in the Orange Bowl, which ended his up-and-down College Football Playoff run. We also know that the Ohio native, who wasn’t really recruited by Ohio State, hasn’t beat the Buckeyes in two tries. Will that change?
Prediction: Allar will beat Ohio State this season
I will couch this a bit by saying the big win might not necessarily come in Columbus on Nov. 1. Allar and Penn State could face the Buckeyes in the Big Ten championship. They could also face them in the CFP — possibly with the national title on the line. But I do believe Allar will get one over on Ohio State by the time he leaves Penn State.
Penn State’s National Championship odds are sitting at +800 right now on FanDuel. Our FanDuel Sportsbook review shows you how to sign up and use their site.
Think back to Allar’s first meeting with the Buckeyes at The Horseshoe in 2023. The Medina native was returning to Ohio — returning to the stadium he went to games to as a kid — as a first-year starter and sophomore. With limited receiver help in a tightly-wound Mike Yurcich offense, Allar wasn’t given much chance to succeed. But he also didn’t hold up his end of the bargain, and his emotional postgame press conference reflected how much that hurt him.
Now, Allar — after the offense failed to score a touchdown in the 2024 loss at Beaver Stadium — will go back to Columbus this fall. He has a new cast of receivers. He’s in his second year with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. And he doesn’t have to face Jim Knowles.
Again, Allar isn’t alone in carrying the Ohio State burden. We all know Penn State’s struggles against the Buckeyes during James Franklin‘s tenure. But if Allar can beat Ohio State in Columbus — or in the Big Ten championship or in the CFP — it would exorcise demons.
And I think he’ll be ready to meet that moment.