Penn State looks 'real' after Wisconsin win, Lions face major uncertainty ahead of Ohio State: What they say

Madison, Wisc. — Penn State used a 21-3 second-half run to avoid being upset by a win at Camp Randall Stadium Wisconsin 28-13 in front of a sellout crowd. It was hardly the Lions' prettiest win in a season filled with wins but not always more fulfilling. This game was of course different than some of the previous ones. Head coach James Franklin's team had to cope with the loss of its starting quarterback Drew AllarFirst-team defensive end Dani Dennis Suttonand right tackle Anthony Donkoh clinched his seventh triumph of the year.

“A few things that jump out to me right away, just a gutsy road win against a team that's really trending in a really positive direction, a tough environment to play in,” Franklin said. “Just a brave victory. You lose your starting quarterback, you lose your starting D-end, you lose your starting offensive tackle. It's the next man's turn. No excuses. I just thought it was a brave, cultural victory, and from my perspective I thought it was, look at Beau Pribula; The other thing that stood out to me was the selfless team and the selfless players. Here’s Beau Pribula in a quarterback battle waiting for his number to be called, and when his numbers are called he can capitalize on it and take advantage of it.”

Here's what's being said about the Lions locally and nationally on Sunday.

Penn State “looks real”

That's the opinion of On3 National College Football Writer Ari Wasserman. He ranked the Nittany Lions at No. 4 in his weekly top 10 poll.

“After a pick-six turned the game in the third quarter, Pribula and Penn State's offense added two more points to turn the game into an easy 28-13 win,” Wasserman writes. “Penn State looks legit even though it lost Allar and defensive end Dani Dennis Sutton. It has a chance to prove it next weekend when it hosts Ohio State.”

Read the full story here.

The Lions face a lot of uncertainty ahead of their biggest game yet

USA Today Matt Hayes began his weekly recap with this obvious angle. Allar's health will be the focus this week. Beau Pribula will obviously start if the Ohio native can't. Either way, Penn State finds itself in a less than ideal situation heading into the top-five showdown.

“At some point, Pribula has to play in the passing game,” Hayes wrote. “That means new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, the Kansas signee announced this offseason, has a week to figure out what works for Pribula — and how to attack an Ohio State defense that's scoring 12.7 points per game brings in.”

“Even if Allar is available, he will certainly be limited. He wasn't kept out of the second half for precautionary reasons; The Lions trailed 10-7. Kotelnicki will have to get one of the quarterbacks (or both) ready to play against a top-10 pass defense that is giving up 172 yards per game. The Buckeyes held Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola to 152 yards passing, no touchdowns and one interception in a 21-17 win Saturday.”

Read the full story here.

The Lions are looking forward to their chance to prove they can beat the Buckeyes

That's what PennLive reporter Johnny McGonigal found out during postgame interviews. Everyone knows the program's recent history against Ohio State. The 2024 version of the Nittany Lions looks to add a new, more positive chapter to this storybook next weekend.

“Some might argue that the stakes are not as high this time,” McGonigal writes. “In the 12-team College Football Playoff, the Nittany Lions could hypothetically lose to Ohio State, win and still make the field and compete for a national title. Perhaps that reality subconsciously allows Penn State to play looser and feel like the entire season isn't happening in one afternoon.

“But these players won’t think like that before next weekend. This is a battle-tested group that has earned an undefeated record and refuses to give it up. … This time next Saturday we will know whether the Nittany Lions were ready or not.”

Read the full story here.

Is dynamics a real thing?

BWI's Nate Bauer picked up on something James Franklin said in his postgame press conference. He said Jaylen Reed's pick six in the third quarter changed the momentum of the game. He added that “momentum is a real thing.” Does this also apply to the Lions meeting with Ohio State? Time will tell.

“The Nittany Lions are ready to take on the Buckeyes in one of the most anticipated games of the season, dating back to last summer, and enter November with everything ahead of them,” Bauer writes. “An expanded playoff changes the outcome of the game.

“A win puts Penn State in the legitimate discussion to be considered one of the best teams in the country this season. And a loss doesn't rule out that possibility. Can the Nittany Lions channel their deepest survival instincts into opportunism? You will be tasked with doing just that in the coming days.”