The Orange Bowl last season was an absolute heartbreak for Penn State QB Drew Allar and HC James Franklin. The Nittany Lions were just one step away from a possible National Championship win. The game turned away from Allar towards the end, and Notre Dame stumped PSU by 27-24. You know how agonizingly close he was to bringing Penn State’s third national title. Interestingly, its second (1986) also came after a shattering loss at a similar position in its previous season, in 1985.
One of the Nittany Lions’ most memorable games happened 35 years ago, in the 1985 edition of the Orange Bowl. The team was unbeaten in the season, winning 11 straight games. But alas, No. 3 Oklahoma undid all their efforts and won 25-10 over No. 1 PSU, ending their hopes of advancing to a national title. But are all the odds of this game and the 2024 Orange Bowl up? The 1986 title-winning PSU quarterback doesn’t think so. His comment also relieves James Franklin of some of the widespread criticism directed at him.
John Shaffer was a junior in the season that Penn State lost to the Sooners. He shared his thoughts about the similarities between the two games in a March 16 video of Behind the Wall with Landon Tengwall. Shaffer, without missing a beat, said, “Definitely not at the quarterback position. No comparison there.” However, unlike Drew getting to play the whole game, Shaffer was taken out in the fourth quarter. Drew Allar made just 12 passes, and none were to a receiver. The final nail to PSU’s coffin also came by way of the quarterback. It was a fated interception in the fourth quarter in Penn State’s half. That turnover ultimately led to Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal to seal the game for the Fighting Irish.
Shaffer, however, has only good things to say about the team’s general outcome. “The team played really, really well. They had some highs and lows – lost to Ohio State but then came back […] They got further (in the playoffs) than I think most people really thought.” Shaffer added, “They really played themselves into being a good team.”
Now, Shaffer had a chance at redemption in the 1986 season, and he gave it his all. That year, PSU was an unbeaten force throughout and landed their 2nd national championship title. Allar also has a similar opportunity this season, and he needs to improve his personal game in his final year in the program. Meanwhile, there are some serious holes in the team’s ship that need mending for the quarterback to be able to remake history.
Drew Allar and James Franklin have a lot of work to do
Drew Allar’s season-ending play in that game has brought out a flaw that needs serious attention. He struggles to make big plays when it’s a make-or-break situation in games. “He needs to have better instincts,” said Joe Deleone of The Ruffino & Joe Show – Weekly College Football. Allar has all the ideal physique and attributes that make for a great quarterback, but work needs to be done in his game-assessment skills. Now, James Franklin might not have been under John Shaffer’s line of fire. But he seriously has to step up to make 2025 a game-changing season for Allar and himself.
A key issue is the questionable wide receiver room for this year. Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans have left camp at PSU to fare better in other programs. Despite building a great roster, the offense was notably restricted to Allar, TE Tyler Warren, and the running backs. In the Orange Bowl game, the WRs failed to create a separation for Allar, which impeded his game greatly. It was disappointing for the offense to come out like that in such an important game.
Warren declared himself for the draft this year. With three big names missing, Franklin needs to look at some strong talents in the transfer portal to back Allar and the offense. He does have Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross from the transfer portal, but they have average rankings. Allar’s game is worthy of improvement, and one can strongly hope for it. 2025 can be the year for PSU’s fourth national title if Franklin maximizes the strength of its offense to the fullest extent.
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