Big 10 Championship Rematch
Big teams bring big games and big atmospheres. And in college football, that is the greatest gift of all. College football fans are in for a truly special gift this Saturday, as #6 Oregon journeys to University Park to battle #3 Penn State. This game will serve as Penn State’s Whiteout game, which is one of the greatest atmospheres.
In this post, I discuss not only the awesomeness of this game but also why it is crucial for either team to win. So sit back and read, and see what Ro Knows.
#6 Oregon
Oregon was ranked #1 in the country after defeating Penn State in the Big 10 Championship. They then walked into the CFP Rose Bowl game against Ohio State and got absolutely embarrassed; the Buckeyes later became the National Champions.
This year, the Ducks have looked like the Oregon teams of the past few years. Starting their season undefeated and entering a very important game in Week 4, 5, or 6. The Ducks are led by redshirt sophomore Dante Moore. Despite it being pretty early in the season, Moore is currently a contender for the coveted Heisman Trophy. So far, he has thrown for 962 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 1 int.
The Ducks have very good options at wide receiver and running back. Freshman receiver Dakorien Moore has been great so far, catching two touchdowns on 12 receptions for 207 receiving yards. Running back Noah Whittington is one of the best in the country. He was a part of a dynamic duo last year with Jordan James, and so far this season, he has ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Oregon Ducks Defense
You can’t talk about the Ducks without mentioning their defense. So far this season, no opponent of the Ducks has scored more than two touchdowns. The leader of this powerful defense is junior, Matayo Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei led Oregon in sacks in 2024 with 10.5. He was named to the Big 10 First Team and has incredible pass-rushing skills. So far this season, he has notched 3 sacks.
Another big contributor to the Ducks' defense is the junior edge, Teitum Tuioti. Tuioti was great alongside Uiagalelei last year. Tuioti contributed 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Like Uiagalelei, he possesses great skill when it comes to disrupting the pocket.
Importance for the Ducks
The Oregon Ducks have never won a national championship. They have beaten so great opponents in recent years, but never reached the mountain top. Playing in an environment like Penn State could prove to be incredibly difficult for Oregon’s Dante Moore. Moore is young and has never dealt with an environment like Happy Valley. If Oregon loses this game on Saturday, that does not mean their season is over, but it does mean they must win out if they want to compete for a college football playoff spot come January.
#3 Penn State
In my opinion, I believe Penn State is overrated, and I will not be rooting for them come Saturday night. This is probably the Notre Dame fan in me, but I think their quarterback is not good. He played poorly in last year’s Orange Bowl (a game the great Fighting Irish won, btw), and threw a pick on what could have been the team's winning drive. So far this season, Allar has thrown for 626 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 int. Yes, it’s early, but are we really considering this guy to be a Heisman finalist? Give me a break.
The Good
Alright, enough about Drew Allar. Let me talk about the players that make Penn State a contender.
For starters, the backfield of Nick Singleton and Kaytron is absolutely deadly. Both Singleton and Allen became the first Penn State running back duo to run for 1,000+ yards each. Singleton ran for 1,099 and 12 touchdowns, and Allen ran for 1,108 and 8 touchdowns.
The Nittany Lions also have a very strong defense. Dani Dennis-Sutton (DE), Zakee Wheatley (S), and Amare Campbell (LB) are three players who can contribute mightily to Penn State’s defense. Sutton notched 8.5 sacks in 2024, and Wheatley had 3 interceptions.
Importance for the Nittany Lions
There is a pretty common narrative around Penn State and its head coach, James Franklin, that they are unable to win “big” games. To be fair, there are stats to back this up. Franklin has a 1-5 record against opponents ranked in the Top 5 in the country. His record vs Top 10 teams is even worse, falling to 3-17. And against Michigan and Ohio State, Penn State’s record is 4-16. 1-10 against Ohio State (holy yikes) and 3-6 against Michigan.
Penn State needs to get a big win if it wants to boost the dumb Drew Allar hype and dispel the narrative that James Franklin can’t beat good teams. Penn State will still have to face Ohio State later on in the season, but if they can get a big win vs Oregon on Saturday, it could definitely boost their case for a CFP spot come January.
Prediction
Happy Valley is a tough environment for visitors, especially during a White Out game. I would love to see the Ducks march into Happy Valley and upset the Nittany Lions, but I think the atmosphere will rattle quarterback Dante Moore. I think Penn State will prevail, winning 38-24.
