Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, a potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, suffered a season-ending injury late in the fourth quarter of today’s loss to Northwestern.
Allar ran the ball and was hit by two Northwestern players, with one defender hitting him high and another hitting him low. Allar immediately grabbed his ankle and had to be helped off the field.
Penn State coach James Franklin announced after the game that Allar was out for the season. The precise nature of Allar’s injury has not been revealed.
Allar is in his fourth year at Penn State and is expected to be in the NFL next year, although it’s possible he gets a fifth year of NCAA eligibility. Allar was at one point the betting favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his play this year hasn’t warranted such high status.
Penn State’s loss dropped the Nittany Lions to 0-3 in the Big Ten this season, raising questions about Franklin’s job security. If Franklin is out, the Penn State position will become one of the most attractive jobs in football coaching, whether at the college or professional level, and interest from college and NFL coaches will have a significant impact on the coaching carousel in 2026.
