Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24
You can’t pin this one on James Franklin for a change. It wasn’t he who lost the big one. Spotty play by quarterback Drew Allar cost Penn State the chance to advance to the still somewhat mythical national championship (SSMNC) game. He screwed up by missing an easy pitch and catch to Nick Singleton for a sure touchdown early in the game, then made up for it with ill-advised, off-balance throw resulting in an interception with the score tied at 24 and 33 seconds left. I know, I know. It is unfair to hang all that weight on a twenty-year-old kid, but it is what it is.
Good thing Allar decided to come back for another season, as this highly visible game would have dropped his NFL draft value considerably. Hello, Mr. Irrelevant!
Yep. Two crucial, unforced errors. WTF. That’s all it took to end the best season Penn State has experienced since 1994-1995. Thirty years! Will it be another thirty years before the Nittany Lions have a similar shot at glory? I sure as hell won’t be around to find out!
Ex post facto stats are bullshit, so I won’t recap the numbers here. You can find them anywhere if you have the stomach for it. I just want to take this opportunity to bitch about dumbass mistakes for a while. But let that not overshadow the tremendous job done by this team, and the thrills they’ve given us. A ray of hope for the future exists if the energy and commitment of the last two playoff games sets an example for future teams.
I’m disappointed, but nevertheless proud of the effort Penn State’s players put forth. I’ve already forgiven Allar for his mistakes because he deserves credit for getting these guys to the brink of greatness, if not over that proverbial final hump. Although he has rough spots, he remains among the best quarterbacks we’ve seen running the Penn State offense in the Twenty-first Century.
Nobody wanted another Penn State vs. Ohio State game, anyway. I could get a surprise, but I believe that tOSU will cruise to the SSMNC, manhandling Texas and blowing out the Irish. But that’s just me. Your mileage may vary.
I want to thank all of you readers for putting up with my sophomoric drivel for another season. Your comments have been enlightening, and although writing is therapeutic for me, I appreciate knowing that others derive enjoyment from my work. I wish you all a wonderful off-season. God willing, I’ll see you back here next year!
