The Penn State Nittany Lions and Oregon Ducks will meet on Saturday for the Nittany Lions annual White Out game, and it'll be just the second White Out game ever featuring two AP Top 10 teams.
Ahead of Saturday's monumental game, Penn State coach James Franklin spoke with the media on Monday and pointed out an under-the-radar x-factor on the Ducks' offense.
Franklin compared Oregon's tight end Kenyon Sadiq to former Penn State star tight end Tyler Warren with his ability to matchup in any situation.
James Franklin Compares Kenyon Sadiq to Tyler Warren
Warren spent five years at Penn State and blossomed into a do-it-all star in his senior season. The fifth-year senior led the Big Ten and set a career-high with 104 receptions last year, more than tripling the output from his junior year.
The former Nittany Lions' star collected 1,233 receiving yards in his senior years, more than doubling his career total coming into the season and caught 19 career touchdowns.
Tyler Warren has been the most efficient pass-catching tight end in the NFL through three weeks pic.twitter.com/gMmWBSY47Y
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 22, 2025
Warren was drafted 14th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts and already has 14 catches for 193 yards through three games in his rookie year, tied for the team lead in receiving yards with Michael Pittman Jr.
The Penn State product has been a big part of a Colts team that is the most surprising 3-0 team in the NFL to start the season.
Franklin believes Sadiq can have the same impact for Oregon that Warren did for the Nittany Lions last year.
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq might be a top 10 player in this class…
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 3, 2025
He LOVES to block, and he’s damn good at it. That paired with his monster athleticism? I expect he’ll have put together a truly ELITE prospect profile come next April. pic.twitter.com/4kxmDa1INA
"I think the tight end (Kenyon Sadiq) really makes them go. Obviously, with what we were able to do with Tyler Warren last year, they're getting that out of their tight end position," Franklin said. "He's a matchup problem in the passing game. He's physical in the run game, extremely explosive, mainly an 11-personnel team, but they'll go 12 deep."
Sadiq is in his third year at Oregon, and has improved each season. The junior tight end had five catches for 24 yards and a touchdown in his freshman year, and had a mini breakout last season.
I was waiting to lift Kenyon Sadiq to TE1 until we saw a larger sample as a route runner + receiver. Think we’ve reached a point where we can now.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 13, 2025
He’s added weight. He’s an elite run blocker. He’s a stellar RAC threat, and he can do this at stems. TE1.
pic.twitter.com/qb43WJPRoQ
Sadiq increased his production to 24 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Now, the Ducks' tight end is showing signs of another breakout in 2025.
Through four games, Sadiq already has nine catches for 155 yards, nearly half of his 2024 season total, and a career-high three touchdowns.
The Ducks' have plenty of weapons on offense for sophomore quarterback Dante Moore, but Sadiq could be the hidden x-factor. The Nittany Lions know the value of a great tight end, and Franklin knows limiting Sadiq's impact will be key in the White Out game on Saturday.