Penn State drops 3rd straight Big Ten game to Northwestern; Drew Allar out for season

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State, which began the season ranked second nationally, dropped its third straight Big Ten game, falling to Northwestern 22-21 Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The also lost starting quarterback Drew Allar for the season to an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

The Nittany Lions, 22-point favorites, fell to 0-3 in the conference for only the second time since 2004. The only other time they started 0-3 was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Caleb Komolafe’s 9-yard touchdown run capped a 75-yard drive and put the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1) ahead by one with 4:51 left.

Penn State (3-3, 0-3) got the ball back and couldn’t gain a first down. Making matters worse, Allar grabbed his left ankle after he scrambled on third down and left the game with help from the medical staff. Coach James Franklin confirmed after the game that the injury will end Allar’s season.

Backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced Allar and was stopped short of the chains on fourth down with 3:07 left. Northwestern took over on downs and ran out the clock.

The game ended with Penn State fans booing and loudly chanting, “Fire Franklin!” The loss ended the remote hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff for a second straight season.

Northwestern had a 282-274 advantage in total yards over Penn State, which committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half and had two turnovers.

Northwestern took a 16-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after recovering Devonte Ross’ fumbled punt at the Penn State 9. Zurah Fisher sacked Preston Stone for a 15-yard loss, and Jack Olsen kicked a 41-yard field goal.

Penn State answered with a 91-yard drive. Allar threw a short pass on third down to Ross, who turned it into a 67-yard gain, the Lions’ longest of the season. Three plays later, Allar scored on a quarterback sneak to make it 21-16.

The defense, however, couldn’t stop Northwestern, which used 11 plays to drive 75 yards and scored on Komolafe’s touchdown. The Wildcats’ lead stayed at 22-21 when Penn State stopped a conversion run.

Allar completed 13 of 20 passes for 137 yards and a first-quarter interception in the end zone. Kaytron Allen carried 16 times for 90 yards and one touchdown, and Nick Singleton scored on a 2-yard run in limited action.

Penn State opened the game with a defensive stop and Dani Dennis-Sutton’s second blocked punt in as many games.

The Lions took over at the Northwestern 31 and moved to the 10, where Allar’s pass to Liam Clifford in the end zone was intercepted and returned 33 yards by Ore Adeyi.

The Wildcats held the ball for more than seven minutes with the help of a facemask penalty on defensive tackle Alonzo Ford, which gave them a first down at the Penn State 9. The defense, though, stiffened, and forced Northwestern to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Olsen.

The Lions answered on their next series, using 12 plays to go 87 yards. Allar’s 20-yard pass to Ross and 4-yard pass to Trebor Pena kept the drive alive before Allen scored on an 11-yard run to give Penn State its first lead in regulation against a Big Ten opponent this season.

Northwestern again took advantage of a personal foul penalty on the Lions defense, this one a borderline late hit on Dejuan Lane. Four plays later, Stone fired a 29-yard touchdown pass to Griffin Wilde, who beat A.J. Harris on the play.

Penn State’s offense went three and out when Kyron Hudson dropped a third-down pass, but Audavion Collins recovered Northwestern’s muffed punt at the Wildcats’ 26. Nine plays later, on fourth-and-goal from the 2, Singleton took a pitch and scooted around left end to give the Lions a 14-10 lead with 1:19 to go in the half.

It appeared that Northwestern, which was out of timeouts, might run out the clock. But a facemask penalty and a roughing the passer penalty, both on Fisher, enabled the Wildcats to move into scoring position.

Olsen kicked a 34-yard field goal to cut Penn State’s lead to 14-13 at the half.