Things went from bad to worse for Penn State on Saturday, and in multiple ways.
Not only did the Nittany Lions lose their third-straight game, a 22-21 defeat to Northwestern, but they saw their starting quarterback go down with an injury in the fourth quarter.
Drew Allar, who entered the season viewed as a potential first-round pick, was carted off the field just minutes before Penn State lost to its second consecutive unranked opponent.
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Here's the latest on Allar after leaving the game against Northwestern.
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Drew Allar injury update
Allar went down in the fourth quarter of Saturday's home game for Penn State, when the team had an opportunity to take the lead with a few minutes remaining. With the score at 22-21, Allar began scrambling on a 3rd & 4.
Just as he got past the line of scrimmage, multiple Northwestern defenders converged on him in the middle of the field. While one defender tackled him at his left leg, another came in from his right side.
Drew Allar is being carted into the locker room after this tackle. pic.twitter.com/552cTxxZoE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 11, 2025
Allar remained down on the field, grabbing at his left leg after the play. He was then taken back to the locker room on a cart.
Drew Allar is taken to the locker room on a cart.
— Lexie Linderman (@lexielinderman) October 11, 2025
Looked in serious distress and yelled “F—“ one or two times. pic.twitter.com/3oC4QYyGrz
Allar was announced as "done for the year" by head coach James Franklin postgame, per Daniel Gallen. He will not return to Penn State in 2025, with the specifics of his ailment unknown.
Is Drew Allar out for the season?
James Franklin said postgame that Allar will miss the remainder of the 2025 season with the injury he sustained in Week 7 against Northwestern.
Allar, a senior, chose to return to Penn State following the 2024 season and a pair of College Football Playoff wins. However, the 2025 season has been a tough one already for the Nittany Lions, whose playoff hopes are all but gone after six games -- Saturday's loss came after they had already fallen from the AP Poll for the first time since 2022.
Ethan Grunkemeyer is set to step in for Penn State as QB1 moving forward.
What year is Drew Allar?
Allar is a senior, and he is out of collegiate eligibility after the 2025 season. That means his college career is over as long as he doesn't return this season, as Franklin said.
The 2025 season has been Allar's third as Penn State's starter; in 2023, he totaled 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns and two interceptions on a 10-3 team, replacing Sean Clifford as QB1. In 2024, Allar had 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions on a 13-3 Nittany Lions squad.
Allar's 2025 season comes to an end with eight touchdown passes and three interceptions in six games.
Drew Allar NFL Mock Draft
Entering the 2025 season, Allar was viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2026 draft, with his big arm being a plus for analysts. However, things have changed a lot in the past few weeks, and he'll now make for an interesting quarterback prospect come April.
Allar has continued to flash with some big throws this season, but they've also come on a 3-3 Penn State team as he's failed to break 220 passing yards in a game. With his injury now being another factor, although the specifics remain to be seen, Allar's draft profile has taken another hit.
NFL Mock Draft Database's consensus rankings currently have Allar as the No. 7 quarterback and No. 36 overall player in the potential 2026 NFL class.
Penn State upcoming schedule
Here's a look at the next three games for the Nittany Lions.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Sat., Oct. 18 | at Iowa | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 1 | at No. 1 Ohio State | TBD |
| Sat, Nov. 8 | vs. No. 7 Indiana | TBD |