Penn State Football, Drew Allar Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) warms up before a game against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

Drew Allar Has Strong Message for Penn State Teammates After 2-Game Skid

Originally posted on Nittany Central | By Robert Shields | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 4:40 PM ET

Penn State Football’s preseason goals may be all but on life support after five games through the 2025 season, but Penn State‘s starting quarterback and offensive leader still has hope that the Nittany Lions can turn around the season.

After Penn State’s second loss of the season, quarterback Drew Allar met with the media Wednesday to answer questions about the Nittany Lions’ mentality in the locker room and the way forward after two devastating losses for the team.

Drew Allar Opens Up About Penn State’s Locker Room After UCLA Loss

Allar noted that the players in the locker room are still “extremely motivated.”

“Not particularly happy (after UCLA),” Allar told reporters Wednesday. “I think just more motivated than ever just after everything that’s transpired. … We got a great group of leaders that are going to be able to help us rebound from this and just go ahead and take it one day at a time.”

After a few losses that have dashed the Nittany Lions’ preseason goals, it is as important as ever that Penn State’s player leaders step up and help the Nittany Lions get back on a winning track.

With the Nittany Lions’ backs against the wall for their College Football Playoff hopes, every game going forward becomes a playoff game, because with one more slip up, Penn State will find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoff come December.

Ahead of the most crucial stretch of his collegiate career, Allar offered a strong endorsement of Penn State head coach James Franklin.

“He’s done a great job of setting the tone for our team, and I think he’s given some great messages to us. Motivating messages. I think he’s done a great job of that.” Allar continued, “I know he’s getting a lot of criticism and that sort of thing, and nobody really knows what he’s going through, other than him. “I’m excited to go out there and play another game for him because, again, there’s no other coach in the country I’d rather be going out there for on Saturday.”

Penn State Football, James Franklin James Franklin and Drew Allar once again come up short in a top-10 game, falling to Oregon 30-24. (Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images)

How the Nittany Lions respond to the two early season losses against Northwestern Saturday will go a long way to determining how the rest of the season goes for Penn State.

The Nittany Lions are 22.5-point favorites against the Wildcats in the return to what will likely be a hostile Beaver Stadium Crowd.

If Allar is right about the Nittany Lions’ motivations behind the scenes, they will need it to translate to the field quickly to get the fans back on their side as they continue through the 2025 season.