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.

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.

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.

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.

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.