The days that have followed Penn State’s 20-13 loss to Ohio State on Saturday have been “introspective,” James Franklin said on Monday. Not only in search for answers as to what went wrong in an eighth-straight loss to the Buckeyes, but also in game planning for what’s to come. A College Football Playoff bid remains well within reach, and the path to get there continues this weekend.
It will take four more wins, and the first will need to come against Washington in a White Out affair. Franklin said the practices leading up to the game against the Huskies have been “good,” a promising sign for a team that rightfully believes it has everything “in front” of them.
“We got a whole lot of season left. We got a whole lot more to fight for,” offensive lineman Vega Ioane said. “So, being down and being stuck on a loss, doesn’t really matter anymore. We got a whole lot left to work for. We can still compete for a national championship, Big Ten Championship. So, it’s how we react after that game, move forward, doing as best we can to never feel like that again.”
It’s easy to point fingers after another loss in a big game that could’ve easily ended in a win. There’s no doubt about it. For the second consecutive year, the Nittany Lions’ offense controls the team’s destiny. That means the spotlight is on offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, quarterback Drew Allar and the rest of the unit to get the job done over these next four weeks.
Kotelnicki was hired this past offseason almost specifically to succeed in big games. But in his first opportunity, he failed to do so, despite getting within the 5-yard line on two separate drives. On both of them, Kotelnicki’s offense couldn’t convert. It was a devastating loss for the players and coaching staff, alike, but Kotelnicki has taken an optimistic approach since.
What was his message?
“That he’ll be better for us and we’ll be better for him,” Allar said. “It’s group accountability at the end of the day, and that comes from both sides. It comes from the players being accountable for our play on the field and the coaches in general. So I think it was a good message for us.”
The play calling will need to improve, especially in the red zone, if Penn State not only wants to make the playoff, but compete against fellow contenders. The wide receivers, likely more than any other position group, will need to come alive, as well.
Allar remains confident in his group of pass catchers and said he’ll “defend them until the day I die,” despite the fact that his wide receivers have yet to catch a touchdown pass in Big Ten play. Whether the receivers become an increased part of the game plan or not, Allar believes Kotelnicki will ultimately draw up a winning system.
“I have full faith in Coach K,” Allar said. I love being a part of the offense that Coach K calls, and really a part of the whole offensive staff. So, you know, I’m really excited for the opportunity that we have ahead of us this weekend. … I’m just looking forward to playing football.”
When Allar fell to Ohio State and Michigan last year, the hope for a playoff berth went out the door. A.J. Harris, then a cornerback at Georgia, saw the same aspirations slip away when the Bulldogs lost to Alabama in the last week of the 2023 regular season. But the times have changed under a 12-team format. A single loss may not dictate a team’s fate.
What will decide whether a program goes dancing or not likely comes down to making adjustments and not falling flat in the face of adversity. Whether it’s Allar or Harris, many Nittany Lions have experienced big-game losses. Now comes the greatest test of all, not letting one defeat turn into another in a year when second chances are allowed.
“This game, you’re gonna take your fair share of wins and you’re gonna take your fair share of losses. But it’s more so about correcting what you do in the loss,” Harris said. “I believe that if you respond the right way, that loss could definitely help you more than a win. So it’s just how you take the perspective of losing.”
