Will Penn State QB play vs Ohio State?

Penn State football finds itself with a pivotal game in Week 10 against No. 4 Ohio State at Beaver Stadium, as a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship game (and College Football Playoff) is on the line.

It’s also a game that the third-ranked Nittany Lions don’t know who they’ll have starting for them at quarterback for until moments before kickoff.

Penn State starting quarterback Drew Allar is a “game-time decision” for Saturday’s top-5 ranked contest in Happy Valley after he sustained a knee injury just before halftime in last week’s game vs. Wisconsin that kept him out for the second half.

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The 6-foot-5 quarterback is ranked the No. 6 quarterback in this year’s NFL draft class on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board. Through seven games this season, Allar has completed 71.3% of his passes while throwing for 1,640 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 129 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Here’s what to know about Allar’s status for Saturday’s pivotal game against Ohio State:

Is Drew Allar playing today? Penn State football QB’s status vs Ohio State.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Allar is expected to play Saturday against Ohio State.

As previously reported by the York Daily Record, Penn State coach James Franklin said Allar will be a “game-time decision” and that the Nittany Lions won’t make a decision until just before the start of the game.

“He’s played enough football for us that (his) timeline will go all the way up to the game,” Franklin said Monday at his weekly news conference. “I do think from a practice perspective, we are going to have to get both of those guys reps (on) Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s too early to tell at this point.”

Drew Allar knee injury update

Allar looked to have injured his knee toward the end of the first half at Camp Randall Stadium against Wisconsin last Saturday. The injury came in Penn State’s final drive of the half when he twisted his ankle after being sacked by Badgers linebacker Jake Chaney.

He would stay in the game for two more plays before walking off the field and heading straight back to Penn State’s locker room with a ginger limp.

As Franklin said on Monday, Penn State was expecting Allar to start at quarterback in the second half coming out of halftime. However, that plan changed after Allar went through warmups on the field while wearing a knee brace.

“I asked him to be very, very honest with me and he just didn’t feel like he was going to be able to move enough,” Franklin said.

Here’s a video of Allar on the field before the second half, when he went over to talk to Franklin as the two discussed his status for the half:

Drew Allar stats

Allar has looked rather comfortable this season in first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, as he has completed 71.3% of his passes — which ranks fifth in the Big Ten among the conference’s 18 quarterbacks.

Here’s a breakdown of Allar’s stats this season at Penn State:

• 2024: 117 of 164 (71.3%) passing for 1,640 yards with 12 touchdowns, seven sacks and four interceptions; 34 carries for 129 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns