Saturday was a frustrating night at Lucas Oil Stadium for Penn State. The no. 3 Nittany Lions came up short against the no. 1 Oregon Ducks 45-37 in the Big Ten Championship Game, falling to 11-2 on the season.
Next up for the Nittany Lions is a first-round College Football Playoff game at Beaver Stadium. Before we look ahead to Penn State's first trip to the College Football Playoff, let's take a look back at a Big Ten Championship Game loss that was there for the taking in this edition of day after thoughts.
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Penn State proves they belong against the nation's elite
We all know how this goes. James Franklin can not get over the mountain, he can not win the big game, etc. Well, despite losing, Franklin and the Nittany Lions proved against Oregon on Saturday night that they belong with the best teams in the country.
The Nittany Lions put up 518 yards, 37 points, and averaged 8.3 yards per carry in their loss against the Ducks. Had anyone told you before the game that this was the output the Nittany Lions offense would produce you would have picked them to win.
Throughout the season, Penn State's biggest question was its offense. Few people, if any, doubted Tom Allen's defense. While Saturday night was a rough go of it for Allen's group, the offense stepped up and did its best to bail them out.
If not for a handful of costly penalties or one of two Drew Allar interceptions, the Nittany Lions likely would have won this game. It feels like you can chalk this defensive performance up as an aberration. If this offense shows up in the College Football Playoff? They can beat anyone. Penn State's performance against Oregon proved they belong among the nation's elite for the 2024 season.
Officiating was a disaster
James Franklin mentioned after the game how no holding penalties were called during the game. Oregon could have been called for more than a few holding penalties in this one, and that is just scratching the surface of the questionable officiating.
It may come as no surprise to learn that this is the same officiating crew that was given the Penn State/Ohio State game, another game that was woefully officiated. Penn State has no one to blame but themselves for this loss, but the officiating certainly did not help.
In addition to all of the missed holding calls on Oregon, there were plenty of other poor officiating calls throughout this game. On a 3rd down touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel to Tex Johnson the refs failed to flag an Oregon offensive lineman who was 6 yards down the field for an ineligible man downfield.
To start the second half, Drew Allar was thrown to the ground after the play ended on a 3rd down where he was stopped short of the line to gain. Despite Bryce Boettcher throwing Allar to the ground late, no late hit flag was thrown.
On a crucial Oregon 4th down conversion in the 4th quarter, a blatant offensive pass interference was not called. That drive ended in an Oregon touchdown to give the Ducks a 45-30 lead.
There was a missed blatant defensive holding call on Nicholas Singleton who was streaking down the middle of the field for a big gain, if not a touchdown. A 4th quarter catch by Omari Evans, which was ruled a catch on the field, was quickly overturned by the officials and ruled incomplete despite the ball never hitting the ground.
It was a really poor day for this officiating crew. After butchering the Penn State/Ohio State game and now the Big Ten Championship Game, there's no reason for this game to get an important game any time soon.
Early self-inflicted injuries loom large
When Penn State reviews this game film there will be multiple self-inflicted wounds that will drive the Nittany Lions insane. Many of these came within a seven series stretch early in the game.
None of these may have been bigger than Tony Rojas being called for a face mask penalty on a 4th and 1 on Oregon's second possession. It came on a 4th and 1 where the Nittany Lions had stuffed the Ducks. However, due to the penalty on Rojas instead of Penn State taking over around their own 40-yard line trailing 7-3, the Oregon drive was kept alive and ended in a touchdown, making the score 14-3 Ducks.
After Penn State had cut the Oregon lead to 14-10, Tyrece Mills was called for an unnecessary roughness on the ensuing kickoff. This gave Oregon a shorter field, leading to a 60-yard touchdown drive for the Ducks to make the score 21-10.
After the teams exchanged a pair of punts, Allar threw an interception that was returned to the Penn State 1-yard line. On the following play, the Ducks punched it in to make the score 28-10. This holed proved too much for the Nittany Lions to climb out of, and it was a hole that was mostly self-inflicted.
The opening drive of the second half was vital
Penn State finished the first half on a 14-3 run and took momentum into the locker room. Receiving the opening kick of the second half, the Nittany Lions started to march down the field and appeared to be on their way to tying the game.
This is where things started to go wrong.
On 2nd and 9 at the Oregon 27 Allar had Tyler Warren open for a touchdown. Allar made a poor throw that Warren juggled and failed to haul in. Had Allar made a better throw and hit Warren in stride, it would have been a walk in touchdown. A walk in touchdown that would have tied the game and completely swung momentum in Penn State's favor.
On the following play, Allar ran the ball and was stopped short of the 1st down. This was when the aforementioned failed late hit call on Boettcher took place. The drive then culminated in a missed field by Ryan Barker.
Had Allar hit Warren for a touchdown, the Boettcher late hit was called, or Barker converted on the 40-yard field goal attempt, this game may have ended differently. With better execution and better officiating during this sequence, Penn State may be sitting here as Big Ten Champions.
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