Penn State football: 3 reasons the Nittany Lions will upset Michigan

1. Drew Allar’s coming out party

When the Nittany Lions suffered its lone loss of the season, away to Ohio State, it was apparent that the grand occasion had gotten the best of the Ohio born Drew Allar. Despite his supreme talent, Allar’s inexperience in big games coupled with a poor playcalling approach from head coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive unit found itself floundering against the Buckeyes en route to scoring a measly 12 points on the day.

With that said, this was a learning experience for both Allar and the coaching staff. As such, I expect an offensive game plan that’ll show off Allar’s strengths, which is his powerful, yet precise arm.

With an offensive line that’s led by perhaps the country’s top tackle in Olumuyiwa Fashanu (ranked on multiple draft boards as either the first or second lineman to be selected in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft), Allar will be given time to go through his progressions and allow the Nittany Lions’s receivers to develop their intermediate to deep routes. As a result, Allar will connect on several downfield throws of 20-plus yards.

In turn, this’ll help open up PSU’s ground game due to a now loosened Wolverine’s defensive front. In the end, led by Allar, the Nittany Lions will be well balanced, converting third downs, extending series, and finishing drives with seven instead of settling for three or worse, three and outs.