When the Penn State Nittany Lions take the field for their season opener on August 30 against the Nevada Wolf Pack, all eyes will be on quarterback Drew Allar. Big things are expected out of him as the Nittany Lions are looked at as potential College Football Playoff participants.

From rising position coaches to new faces on staff, this year’s group will help shape the Nittany Lions’ playoff push.

After finishing the 2024 season with a 13-3 record, Drew Allar and Penn State will take the field for the 2025 season opener on Aug. 30 against the Nevada Wolf Pack.

PennLive sat down with Penn State quarterback Drew Allar for a one-on-one interview last month. This is the third and final story in a miniseries stemming from our conversation. Allar also discussed moving on from CFP heartbreak and his 2025 NFL draft decision.

Drew Allar is the alpha at quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions, but the position is otherwise short on experience.

The Drew Allar-led Penn State Nittany Lions came out tops in the poll after getting an impressive 11 first-place votes. Defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes had 10 first-place votes and were ranked second, while the Oregon Ducks rounded out the top three after earning two first-place votes.

Penn State has all of the right pieces surrounding quarterback Drew Allar in 2025. Now it is up to him to truly shine in the moment.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar reflected on the CFP loss to Notre Dame during a one-on-one interview with PennLive.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws the ball during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in State College. The White team defeated the Blue team, 10-8. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State ripped off 17 consecutive runs from the time Allar exited until Pribula connected with tight end Tyler Warren for a 9-yard completion. When Pribula entered, Penn State led 10-6.

Veteran Drew Allar is back as one of the nation’s best signal callers, and he’ll key an offense that has plenty of power in the backfield. Former coach Urban Meyer is impressed by Allar’s development, but not enough to completely put the stamp of approval on the Penn State offense just yet.