Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is questionable for the Nittany Lions' massive matchup against No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday. Allar missed the second half of No. 3 Penn State's 28-13 win over Wisconsin after leaving the game with a lower body injury. Allar suffered the injury near the end of the first half. He attempted to warm up before the third quarter, but the staff ultimately decided to roll with backup quarterback Beau Pribula.
"It's too early to tell at this point, but he's played enough football that I think the decision will go all the way up to game time," Franklin said. "The reality is we're gonna have to have both guys ready, and you could make the argument, all three guys ready, which is challenging to do in a game week."
Allar has taken a significant leap forward in his first season under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. The junior has improved in completion percentage (60% to 71%), yards per attempt (6.8 to 10.0) and yards per game (180 to 234) as a second-year starter. He posted 148 yards and a touchdown in the first half against the Badgers.
Pribula stepped in and had a strong showing in relief of Allar. The sophomore completed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown and added 28 yards on the ground. Pribula also gives Penn State more of a running threat, which fits a profile Kotelnicki knows well from his time working with Jalon Daniels at Kansas and Tyree Jackson at Buffalo.
If Allar can't play, Kotelnicki has a strong background of preparing backup quarterbacks for primetime. At Kansas, Daniels went out for the entirety of Big 12 play in 2023, but backup Jason Bean stepped in to help lead the Jayhawks to nine wins.
Ohio State vs. Penn State is the marquee matchup on the college football slate in Week 10. The Buckeyes rank No. 8 nationally in passing defense, allowing only 163.1 yards per game during a 6-1 start. The winner of this game likely joins No. 1 Oregon as the favorites to reach the Big Ten Championship Game, though undefeated Indiana will also be a factor.
Penn State has lost seven straight against Ohio State dating back to the 2016 season, when the Nittany Lions won Franklin's lone Big Ten championship and reached the Rose Bowl.