College football insider Rob Stone believes the fifth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions may suffer in the long run by starting Drew Allar at quarterback. On Saturday, Penn State will host 12th-ranked SMU Mustangs in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The Nittany Lions are relying on Allar to lead the team after quarterback Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal. Stone said on "The Triple Option" on Wednesday that the team could face issues if its starter plays well in the playoff.
"What if Drew Allar – Whose got the prototype right? He's got the measurables that the NFL is looking at, and he's improved every single year. – what if Drew Allar absolutely balls in December and January, and his NFL stock starts going up like this (points in upward motion)?" Stone said.
"No one is saying that he can't say, 'You know what? I'm going.'"
On Monday, the Penn State passing leader announced on X that he would return to the program for next season. He will compete in his senior year with the opportunity to improve his chances of getting drafted early in the 2026 NFL draft.
However, Stone pointed out that he could enter next year's draft, leaving Penn State coach James Franklin without an experienced starting quarterback in 2025.
"Now, all of a sudden, James Franklin and his staff are saying, 'Whoa, we just lost one and two, and neither one we were really prepared to lose," Stone said.
Penn State (11-2, No. 4 CFP) hopes to advance to the next round by defeating SMU (11-2, No. 10 CFP).
College Football Playoff: How Drew Allar factors into the Penn State vs. SMU game
The Nittany Lions are looking to rebound after losing 45-37 to the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 7. Allar finished 20 of 39 for 226 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He had a chance to tie the game in the final moments of the fourth quarter. However, he threw an interception to Oregon cornerback Nikko Reed, ruining his team's chances of winning.
Penn State will need Allar to perform better than he did against Oregon in Saturday's game. He'll enter the game with 224 completed passes for 2,894 yards and 21 touchdowns for the season. SMU's defense has allowed 3,025 passing yards. If he can avoid interceptions and pass efficiently, the 2026 NFL draft prospect could give the Mustangs issues in the first-round playoff matchup.
If the Nittany Lions win, they'll face the eighth-ranked Boise State Broncos (12-1, No. 3 CFP) in the quarterfinals on Dec. 31.
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