Penn State trio looking for a feather in their caps [opinion]

Beleaguered coach Lincoln Riley desperately needs a win over a top 10 opponent to stop Southern Cal’s slide over the last 12 games.

It’s why the matchup against No. 4 Penn State Saturday at 3:30 (TV-CBS) is such a big game for the Trojans.

It’s also quite significant for three people with the Nittany Lions: head coach James Franklin, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterback Drew Allar. All three have much riding on the outcome.

Even though USC is no longer ranked after its upset loss last week at Minnesota, a victory at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum would give Franklin one of the three best road wins of his tenure.

Since 2021, Penn State has beaten every opponent in the regular season except Ohio State and Michigan. The Trojans, despite their struggles, also are college football bluebloods who have plenty of talent.

No Lions team has beaten USC in California, including games at the Coliseum in 1990-91 and losses in the Rose Bowl in 1923, 2009 and 2017.

Penn State’s offense has come up small against Ohio State and Michigan, especially in the last three seasons. A game like Saturday is why Franklin fired Mike Yurcich as offensive coordinator last November and hired Andy Kotelnicki, who received a four-year, $7.1 million contract.

Before he hired Kotelnicki, Franklin said he wanted someone who had a history of guiding an offense that has been “able to score against their best competition, the best competition in whatever leagues they come from.”

Last year at Kansas, Kotelnicki’s offense was successful against the top teams in the Big 12 except for Texas. He’s considered one of the best play designers in the country, adjusting his scheme to his personnel.

So far at Penn State without elite wide receivers, he’s establishing an identity that relies on running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen and a physical offensive line.

USC is thin at linebacker after losing leading tackler Eric Gentry because of an injury and another backup. The Trojans also are without defensive tackle Bear Alexander, who left the team. In his absence, they’ve allowed Michigan to rush for 290 yards without even an average passer at quarterback and Minnesota to run for 193 yards last week.

Yet the Lions need to be productive in the passing game to keep USC from putting seven or eight defenders close to the line of scrimmage to contain the run.

Allar has been very efficient, completing more than 70% of his passes and averaging 10.69 yards per attempt, fifth in the nation. In his 18 games as a starter, he’s thrown 34 touchdown passes against just three interceptions, a remarkable ratio.

Last year, though, he completed less than half of his passes against Ohio State and Michigan – two of the best defenses in the country – and threw for a paltry 261 yards with two late TD passes.

“I definitely could have played better in those games,” he said in the spring. “The experience in general is going to be very beneficial for me going into this year. … Being at your best when your best is required is something I’m working on right now.”

Penn State’s strong defense will be tested by USC quarterback Miller Moss and some talented wide receivers. It’s important that the offense, particularly Kotelnicki and Allar, execute their jobs and hold up their end of the deal.

The Lions are playing better than the Trojans. With the exception of the travel to the West Coast, all the factors point in Penn State’s favor. Which is why there’s a lot riding on it for Franklin.

A win would be a big step toward reaching the College Football Playoff. A loss would cut the Lions’ margin of error and continue the case for Franklin’s inability to win big games.

“They’re the next team on our schedule that we’ve got to find a way to beat,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter whether it’s a conference game or a non-conference game. For us and what we’re trying to do, they’re all significant.”

Some more than others.

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