Ep. 196 | Duck Hunt

Get ready for the Hardcore Penn State Football Podcast as we preview the electric White Out clash between No. 3 Penn State and No. 6 Oregon this Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC’s Big Ten Saturday Night! The 3-0 Nittany Lions, fresh off blowouts over Nevada (46-11), FIU (34-0), and Villanova (52-6), face their toughest test yet in a rematch of last year’s 28-24 Big Ten Championship thriller. With Beaver Stadium set to erupt in the 2025 White Out, this game could propel PSU back to No. 1 and cement their playoff path. Joined by special guest Donnie Collins, we’re breaking down Drew Allar’s defining moment, James Franklin’s big-game legacy, and why the line of scrimmage will decide it all. #WeAre ready—let’s dive in! This is it—Drew Allar’s chance to silence doubters under the White Out lights. The senior QB has shown flashes of brilliance (722 yards, 7 TDs, 65.3% completion through three games) but struggled with streaky play, including a costly pick against Villanova. Facing Oregon’s top-15 secondary, led by young but talented corners, Allar must stay poised to hit Kyron Hudson and Trebor Peña downfield while avoiding the turnovers that plagued PSU’s 0-2 record against top-10 teams last year. A clean game could vault Allar into Heisman talks and prove he’s the QB to lead Penn State to a national title. We’re analyzing his progress post-BYE and what he needs to do to outduel Oregon’s dual-threat signal-caller. James Franklin is 4-12 against top-10 opponents since 2016. With a 3-0 start and a defense allowing just 5.7 points per game, this is Franklin’s chance to flip the narrative in a game Vegas lists as a slight Penn State favorite. Can he scheme up a plan to exploit Oregon’s 20% explosive play rate while keeping PSU’s offense (averaging 44 points) humming? We’re debating Franklin’s game plan, from leaning on Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen’s ground attack to unleashing DC Jim Knowles’ turnover-hungry defense (6 forced turnovers in 2025). We’re pumped to have friend of the podcast Donnie Collins, veteran Penn State beat writer and co-host of Penn Stated, drop by for exclusive insights! Donnie breaks down the X’s and O’s, focusing on Drew Allar's performance. He’ll also share stories from covering PSU’s iconic White Outs and weigh in on whether Allar’s poise and Franklin’s play-calling can outmatch Dan Lanning’s Ducks, who enter 4-0 after crushing foes 162-30. Visit rhettcoblentz.com for your graphic design needs! #WeAre #PennStateFootball #nittanylions

WEEK 5 PICK'EM