Penn State Prepares for Top-5 Showdown with Oregon following Week 2 Improvements
STATE COLLEGE, โPA – Penn State footballโค faces its toughest โtest โฃof the season on Septemberโ 27th when it hosts No. 4 Oregon, and the team isโ using its bye week to refine both sidesโ of โคthe ball after a Week 2 victory over Villanova. The Nittany Lions are focused on matching the offensive โfirepower of the Ducks, who are averaging 54 points per game to start โthe 2025 season,โค while simultaneouslyโ solidifying โคa defensive scheme impacted by new โขNCAA rules.
The Penn State defense has undergone adjustments โdue to a new NCAA regulation limiting communication with coaches to oneโ player atโ a โคtime. โคThis has necessitated a helmet-switching โsystem between safeties and linebackers,a โขprocess that presented challenges in the season opener against Nevada.However, Head Coach James Franklin expressed optimism about the unit’s progress, stating, “I thought ourโ defense โคconsiderably took a step this week, โฃjust more confidence, more command, more control. Especially from our safeties and linebackers, who areโข kind of running the show.” โฃLinebacker Kaden Dot โwill start at middle โlinebacker, with Rojas taking the will linebacker role.
On the offensive side, Penn State is leveraging a seven-deep rotation onโค the offensiveโ line to โmaintain player freshness throughoutโค the season. Offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh embraced the competition, saying, “I love competition. I love trying to prove myself every single day.โ So for me, it’s โขnot a problem at allโฆHaving seven โguys that you can be able to โrotate in and out, โขandโข just keep guys fresh, is going to be very helpful throughout โคthe season.” Donkoh andโ tight end Luke Reynolds both โฃemphasized that the rotation hasn’t โnegatively impacted team chemistry.
Reynolds led the tight ends with four โขreceptions for 73 yards against Villanova,alongside khalil dinkins whoโข also recorded a catch. The tight end position couldโ prove crucial againstโข Oregon, recalling Tyler Warren’s seven catches for 84 yards in last season’s Big Ten championship game.
The quarterback matchup โคwill also beโค aโค key factor.Oregon’s Dante Moore will be making his first true away game appearance in the challenging atmosphere of Penn State’s โWhite Out. Penn State’s Drew Allar will look to rebound after throwing his first interception of the season against villanova, but will โฃdrawโ confidence from his strong performance against the โDucks last year, where he threw for 226 yards andโข three touchdowns.
The bye โweek provides โฃa critical possibility for the Penn Stateโข staff to finalize their defensiveโ installation and prepare for a talented Oregon team. The game promises to be a significant early-seasonโค test forโ both programs.
About the Author: Collin is a third-year majoring in โdigital/print โคjournalism. Heโ lives in โคBasking Ridge, New Jersey and enjoys taylor ham egg and cheese. As a New York giants and โChelsea FC fan you can normally find โขhim yelling at his TV screen โคon โขthe weekends. โPlease follow him on X(formally Twitter) @wardcollinz for Penn State football stuff. To โคreach him email him at [emailย protected].
