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Penn State's Drew Allar out for season after Northwestern loss

Wire Reports
| Saturday, October 11, 2025 7:20 p.m.
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Penn State coach James Franklin looks over quarterback Drew Allar (15) as he sits injured on the ground during the fourth quarter Saturday against Northwestern.

Caleb Komolafe rushed for the go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown Saturday as visiting Northwestern handed Penn State its third straight loss, emerging from University Park with a 22-21 victory.

The Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3) lost Drew Allar to a leg injury late in the game after the veteran quarterback went 13-of-20 passing for 137 yards with an interception.

Coach James Franklin announced Allar’s season was over following the contest. Franklin did not confirm what type of injury Allar suffered.

“Drew will be done for the year,” Franklin said.

With Penn State down 22-21 with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Allar scrambled on a third-down play and was tackled short of the first down marker. It appeared he got hit in the lower body. He didn’t get up initially and medical personnel came to check on him as the Beaver Stadium crowd went silent.

Allar eventually got up and was noticeably limping on his way to the sideline. He exited the contest, and backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer took over.

Fox cameras later captured Allar being carted off the field with his shoe off.

Northwestern’s Preston Stone threw for 163 yards, much of which went to Griffin Wilde (seven catches, 94 yards, TD). Komolafe ran for 72 yards on 19 carries for the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten).

“I truly believe that our football team expected to win today,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “Ultimately, the message was you’ve got a football team that’s got their back up against the wall, but also a football team that may be questioning who they are.”

Kaytron Allen contributed 90 rushing yards and a score for Penn State, and Devonte Ross caught seven balls for 115 yards.

“I take full responsibility for all of it,” Franklin said. “I hired all the staff, I recruited all the players. I believe in all of them. But we’re not getting it done right now.”

Northwestern trailed 21-16 with less than five minutes left when Komolafe broke through the defense for a 9-yard touchdown run, putting the Wildcats up 22-21.

The ensuing conversion attempt failed, but it didn’t matter as Penn State failed to reach field-goal range on its next possession. Allar was injured, forcing Grunkemeyer to come in on fourth down — and his scramble attempt fell short of the sticks.

Northwestern burned the rest of the clock with Joseph Himon II sliding down at the 2 to preserve the victory.

Jack Olsen’s 27-yard field goal accounted for the only points of the first quarter. However, a Penn State drive that began in the opening quarter concluded with Allen’s 11-yard TD run early in the second.

The Wildcats promptly responded with Stone’s 29-yard TD pass to Wilde, who got open in the back corner of the end zone for a 10-7 advantage. Yet, the momentum quickly turned in the Nittany Lions’ favor as Northwestern muffed a punt that led to Nicholas Singleton’s 2-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal.

Northwestern threw the final punch of the first half as Olsen drilled a 34-yard field goal in the waning seconds to bring the visitors within 14-13 at the break. He kicked another early in the fourth to put the Wildcats in front 16-14.

On the ensuing possession, Allar’s 67-yard pass to Ross led to a 1-yard TD run by the Penn State quarterback, putting the hosts ahead 21-16 with 10 minutes, 50 seconds to play.


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