Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1539550
3 8 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W hen James Franklin met with reporters at Big Ten Media Days in July, he was unequiv- ocal about what his team would be looking to do after coming up agonizingly short of the College Football Playoff championship game last January. The Nittany Lions, he said, would need to "play well against really, really good teams." "That's what it comes down to," the 12th-year coach continued. "There will be moments where we're going to have to step up and make great plays. There will be moments when we're going to have to make great calls." The first of those moments has arrived. Having made it through their nonconfer- ence season with relative ease, the Nit- tany Lions are set to host Oregon, the team to which they lost in last year's Big Ten title game, for a prime-time White Out clash on Sept. 27. It's one of the most eagerly awaited games of the conference season, with two of the league's most her- alded teams facing off in a setting that never fails to maximize the drama. Penn State's hopes for a breakthrough will hinge to a large degree on the three senior standouts who accompanied Franklin to Las Vegas: quarterback Drew Allar, center Nick Dawkins and safety Za- kee Wheatley. Room With Room With A View A View Penn State is among the favorites to finish atop the Big Ten standings this season M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M Penn State seniors (L to R) Nick Dawkins, Drew Allar and Zakee Wheatley were on hand for Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas this summer. They are looking to lead Penn State to its first Big Ten title since 2016. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS