Penn State head coach James Franklin reacts throughout the second quarter of an NCAA school soccer recreation towards Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State is in a darkish place.
The Nittany Lions have been stunned by Northwestern, 22-21, Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
The loss was their third straight after a 3-0 begin.
They sunk to 0-3 in the Big Ten and formally put an finish to any College Football Playoff hopes.
In the final two minutes, after the Wildcats ran out the clock, a loud and clear chant of “Fire Franklin” rang out.
Penn State entered the sport as a 22-point favourite and was coming off a 42-37 loss at UCLA final week — as a 25-point favourite.
This was after starting the season ranked No. 2 in the nation by the Associated Press.
Down 21-16 with 10:45 left, Northwestern drove the sphere and went 75 yards on 11 performs with Caleb Komolafe punching in the go-ahead landing from 9 yards out with 4:51 remaining, silencing Beaver Stadium.
The Wildcats’ 2-point conversion failed, protecting the Lions’ deficit at 22-21.
PSU took over at its 25. Its first play, a move to Nick Singleton, misplaced 3 yards after which Singleton caught a move from Drew Allar for 9 yards. On third-and-4, Allar tried to run however was stopped on the 32 – a 5-yard loss — and was shaken up on the play.
Backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer entered, dropped again after which was stopped after a 2-yard acquire.
Northwestern took over on the Lions’ 32.
After two brief runs, Northwestern transformed a third-and-3 on Komolafe’s 5-yard run across the edge and was capable of run out the clock, cueing “Fire Franklin” chants for the second straight residence recreation.
Slow begins have been an issue all yr for Penn State, and that pattern continued.
Northwestern took a 3-0 lead in the primary quarter, however after Allar’s interception in the tip zone, the Lions ultimately answered on Kaytron Allen’s 11-yard landing run with 11:40 left in the primary half to take a 7-3 lead.
The Wildcats regained the lead at 10-7 on a reasonably 29-yard landing move from Preston Stone to Griffin Wilde with 7:14 left earlier than halftime.
State answered with a 59-yard drive that was capped by Singleton’s 2-yard TD run on fourth down with 1:19 left in the half.
Northwestern, although, confirmed its poise – and Penn State didn’t, committing two of its six first-half penalties. That helped the Wildcats drive the sphere, and Jack Olson 34-yard discipline objective to drag the ‘Cats inside 14-13.
The Lions made a expensive mistake in the third quarter, and NW capitalized, recovering Devonte Ross’ fumbled punt on the PSU 9.
Penn State’s protection stiffened, nevertheless, and compelled Northwestern to accept Olson’s 41-yard discipline objective, which gave the guests a 16-14 on the outset of the fourth quarter.
Ross atoned when he took a brief move and blazed 67 yards by way of the NW protection to the Wildcats’ 19. Allen gained 18 yards to the Northwestern 1, and Allar snuck for the TD and a 21-16 lead with 10:45 remaining.
The Lions’ offense was restricted to 13 first downs on the day.
The Nittany Lions go to Iowa for a 7 p.m. kickoff subsequent Saturday. The recreation can be streamed on Peacock. Northwestern, which improved to 4-3, hosts Purdue at 3 p.m.