STATE COLLEGE – The biggest game of the Penn State football season is here.
Ohio State may eventually trump it, but the outcome of this game sets the stage for what’s to come.
There’s no denying there’s a boatload of pressure on No. 3 Penn State to win the White Out against No. 6 Oregon Saturday night.
It’s of the most anticipated White Outs in years. College GameDay is in town. Penn State is looking to avenge last season’s Big Ten Championship loss.
Will Penn State embrace the pressure or succumb to it?
Penn State entered the season as the No. 2 team in the country. Following blowout wins against Nevada, FIU and Villanova, the real test begins.
During Penn State football media day, I caught up with multiple members of the Nittany Lions’ offense regarding how they’re managing expectations, if they hear the national attention, and what they do to manage it.
You might say Drew Allar has the weight of the state on his shoulders as Big Ten play begins.
The senior quarterback continues to rack up endorsements and has added Venmo to his growing list of NIL collaborations. Allar came back for a change at redemption and the opportunity to take Penn State somewhere it hasn’t been since 1986.
“For me, that’s part of the reason I came to Penn State. To compete for everything like that (National Championships),” Allar said. “From a team perspective, it’s not about allowing those expectations or being ‘crowned’ in the preseason to creep into the locker room and limit the way we work or practice.”
Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton are No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, on the program’s all-time rushing list.
Both need under 1,000 yards the remainder of the year to surpass Evan Royster at the top.
Singleton has 179 rushing yards and five touchdowns through three contests. He appreciates the recognition, but admits Penn State has to prove it in big moments.
“We hear it,” Singleton said. “It feels good, but at the same time, we don’t pay any mind to it because people are going to say that, but we have to go out there and do it. We’re ready for it.”
Following its open week, Penn State faces four Big Ten opponents before a bye, entering the Ohio State game November 1.
Coach James Franklin praised senior tight end Khalil Dinkins for his unselfishness, strong blocking, and development within the program.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Tyler Warren was the center of Penn State’s passing game and a security blanket for Allar. Six of Dinkins’ 25 career catches have gone for touchdowns.
“You can’t just ignore it. I know it’s there. We all know it’s there,” Dinkins said.” It’s just something that you can’t let it affect you and how you play, how you come in every day and work. I never let it affect me.”
Luke Reynolds has earned snaps alongside Dinkins, but the veteran leader from Pittsburgh isn’t letting the noise and praise get to his head as he looks to carve out additional catches.
“I knew they were going to count on me to be the next guy coming up,” Dinkins said. “I just tuck my head down, do what I do, keep working hard, and I’m going to keep doing me,” Dinkins said with a smile.
Penn State is averaging 44 points per game, tied for 13th in college football.
Entering State College with high expectations to assist Allar in a remade wide receiver room, transfers Trebor Peña (Syracuse) and Devonte Ross (Troy) believe they’re up for the challenge this season.
“We’re appreciative of the recognition, but we try to tune that out,” Peña said. “We try to just focus on ourselves and getting better. At the end of the day, go 1-0 every day.”
Both receivers are buying into the 1-0 mentality.
“Obviously, you see it, but I think we do a great job as a team focusing on being 1-0 every single day,” Ross said. “Getting better every day in practice and in the film room. We always want to push each other.”
Peña leads the Nittany Lions with 166 yards and one touchdown on 13 catches. Ross has grabbed five balls for 77 yards and one score in the early going.
Three games down against non Power 4 opponents and all by blowouts at home, the feeling around the fan base is that the season officially starts now. At home. Against a top-six opponent. National TV. All eyes? They’re on Happy Valley.
“We have a deep team in terms of depth at all the different positions on both sides of the ball,” Allar said before the start of the season. “I’m really excited to keep building our team.”
James Franklin is 4-20 against top 10 teams at Penn State. His record against top-five teams is 1-13.
While Oregon sits outside the top five at No. 6, it doesn’t alleviate any pressure on Franklin to silence some critics and take Penn State forward as a top program.
If Penn State is going to earn national respect as a program that can be the favorite to win a national championship, the Nittany Lions must win against Oregon.
“To go to the place that we want to go, it’s going to take everybody, no matter what your role is, whether you’re a player or on staff,” Allar said. “I think we’ve done a great job of embracing that.”
