Penn State quarterback Drew Allar's growth and development has the Nittany Lions in a position to beat Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff and compete for a national championship.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar received a clear message from Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki ahead of the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame.

That's certainly the case for the Penn State offense on Thursday night. Quarterback Drew Allar threw for 171 passing yards and three scores against Boise State in Arizona and was able to get all phases of the offense going. But he was also sacked four times.

While he recently stated plans to return to college, a weak quarterback class and impressive playoff performances could be enough to make him reconsider entering the draft. He would immediately become a legitimate option for the Silver and Black.

Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much.

Drew Allar’s College Football Playoff debut wasn’t the best game of his Penn State football career. It also wasn’t his worst But in the end, the Nittany Lions’ punishing run game, combined with a pair of pick-sixes, was more than enough for Penn State to defeat SMU 38-10 and take its first step toward a National Championship.

One of the College Football Playoff semifinals match up is set as Penn State takes on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night. We break down four ways the Nittany Lions can defeat Notre Dame to make it to the National Championship game on January 20.

Penn State football heads into the 2025 Orange Bowl against Notre Dame with the chance to play for its first national championship since 1986. The Nittany Lions are led by head coach James Franklin who’s in his eleventh season with the program.