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  • Last chance for Temple, Penn State to go bowling, and its playoff time for Villanova and Eastern

    Last chance for Temple, Penn State to go bowling, and its playoff time for Villanova and Eastern

    For the third consecutive year and the fourth time in the last five years, Villanova will open the FCS playoffs at Villanova Stadium, where it has not lost since Sept. 24, 2022.

    The Wildcats have won 22 straight home games, including the playoffs. They have won their last three playoff games at Villanova Stadium by an average of nine points, including last year’s five-point win over Eastern Kentucky.

    This season, Villanova’s opening-round matchup will be against the Ivy League’s Harvard on Saturday (noon, ESPN+). The Crimson (9-1, 6-1 Ivy) lost to rival Yale to end the regular season, but both teams earned playoff berths and will be on opposite sides of the bracket. The Ivy League is competing in the FCS playoffs for the first time this season.

    Villanova will open the FCS playoffs with a home game against Harvard

    Harvard is led by its passing game. Quarterback Jaden Craig is tied for the 12th most touchdown passes in the FCS (24) and ranks 16th in passing yards (2,722). His 272.2 yards passing per game ranks fifth in the FCS, while Villanova is middle of the pack in defending the pass (213.8 yards, 61st).

    Yale’s Brandon Webster (7) recovers a fumble by Harvard’s Dean Boyd. The two Ivy League schools made the FCS playoffs this season.

    Harvard’s defense, meanwhile, ranks seventh in rushing yards allowed (105.5 yards) and has surrendered just nine rushing touchdowns, tied for the second-fewest in the FCS. Villanova’s offense ranks 29th in rushing yards per game (178.6). Sophomore running back Ja’briel Mace has come on strong since starting running back David Avit’s injury, gaining 524 of his 600 total rushing yards in the last three games, including a school-record 291 in a win over Towson on Nov. 8.

    Experience is on the Wildcats’ side. They’ve been here before under Mark Ferrante and have a quarterback in Pat McQuaide who takes care of the football (19 touchdowns to two interceptions.

    If the Wildcats win, No. 5 seeded Lehigh (12-0) awaits them. Ferrante has led Villanova to at least the FCS quarterfinal in two of its last three trips to the playoffs.

    North Texas wide receiver Wyatt Young (10) has the fourth-most receiving yards in the FBS.

    The BIG number

    1,076: That’s the number of receiving yards North Texas wide receiver Wyatt Young has this season, the fourth-most of any player in the FBS. Young, whose Mean Green face Temple on Friday, has 56 receptions and 10 touchdowns on the year.

    One more chance to go bowling

    Penn State and Temple will be playing for the right to continue their seasons this weekend. Both teams enter the final week of the regular season at 5-6, and each team is going in very different directions.

    K.C. Keeler tries to boost his team’s confidence as Temple prepares for No. 21 North Texas

    The Owls have lost three straight games and now are in danger of failing to end their six-year bowl eligibility drought with North Texas (10-1, 6-1 American Conference) up next on Friday (3:30 p.m., ESPN) in Denton, Texas. The Mean Green, though, learned earlier this week that head coach Eric Morris will take the Oklahoma State job at the conclusion of their season, which could end with a College Football Playoff berth. Temple and K.C. Keeler will be hoping to play spoiler.

    North Texas’ offense ranks first nationally in scoring (46.3 points) and total offense (503.3) with Drew Mestemaker (3,469 yards, 26 touchdowns) under center. But if the Owls are to pull off the upset, they’ll need running back Jay Ducker to have a monster game against the North Texas’ fifth-worst rushing defense nationally (211.2 rushing yards allowed per game) and keep the Mean Green offense at bay.

    Penn State running back Kaytron Allen rushed for 69 yards and two scores against Rutgers in 2023.

    Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are looking to punctuate a lost season with a fifth straight bowl appearance and their 11th trip over the last 12 seasons. The offense has found its groove behind Kaytron Allen, who became the program’s all-time leading rusher last weekend, and Nick Singleton, who tied Saquon Barkley for the most all-purpose touchdowns in school history.

    On Saturday Penn State will play Rutgers (3:30 p.m. BTN), which hasn’t beat the Nittany Lions since 1988.

    Terry Smith wants to be Penn State’s next head coach: ‘If I don’t speak for myself, who will?’

    Considering the Nittany Lions’ run-heavy approach, Rutgers (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) will have to prove it can stop the ground game. The Scarlet Knights’ defense ranks 127th in rushing yards allowed (201.7) and gives up 31.1 points per game, which ranks in near the bottom nationally. With Penn State riding a two-game winning streak and plenty of momentum heading into Piscataway, N.J., it could be a long day for Rutgers, which also is fighting for bowl eligibility.

    Eastern University quarterback Brett Nabb (left) will lead the Eagles against Franklin and Marshall in the Division III playoffs on Saturday.

    Three questions

    🏈 What’s Penn looking for in a new head coach now that Ray Priore is stepping down? Priore has been with the Quakers for nearly 40 years, his last 11 as head coach. Whomever comes in next will be looking to kickstart a program that has fallen in recent seasons, but the Quakers won 12 Ivy League titles with Priore in the building, including consecutive titles in 2015 and 2016 with him as head coach.

    🏈 How will Eastern look after having a week off to prepare for Saturday’s Division III playoff game against Franklin and Marshall College (noon, watch live)? If we’re looking at history, just fine. Following a 39-37 nail-biter against King’s College on Sept. 27, the Eagles had a bye week and then dropped 37 points on Delaware Valley College on Oct. 11, which perennially is one of the better teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference.

    🏈 How big or (not) will the transfer-portal exodus be starting next week after Penn State’s regular-season finale? The word is that players are fond of interim coach Terry Smith, but is it enough to play in whatever bowl a six-win Big Ten team would compete in after such a tumultuous season? Not to rip off a Band-Aid, but this was the No. 2 team in the nation at one point. Wild.

    Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore (8) and the Wolverines will be out to upend No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday.

    Game of the week

    No. 1 Ohio State at No. 15 Michigan (noon Saturday, Fox29)

    One of the most storied rivalries in all of college football, the Wolverines are 9.5-point underdogs at home against the 10-0 Buckeyes. There’s nothing Michigan would love to do more than beat Ohio State, and if it can, that could be just enough to clinch a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of college sports right here!
  • Terry Smith wants to be Penn State’s next head coach: ‘If I don’t speak for myself, who will?’

    Terry Smith wants to be Penn State’s next head coach: ‘If I don’t speak for myself, who will?’

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Terry Smith is no longer timid when asked about his interest in shedding his interim title to become Penn State’s next head coach. He wants the job, and he has made that desire known in recent days.

    After the Nittany Lions’ 37-10 win over Nebraska on Saturday, Smith said he “has always been a head coach.” Dani Dennis-Sutton, the team’s standout defensive end, said Smith told players he wants to be Penn State’s next head coach.

    And on Monday, Smith reiterated that statement.

    “I would like to be the head coach [at Penn State],” Smith said. “If I don’t speak for myself, who will?”

    Kaytron Allen’s record-breaking game highlights Penn State’s rout of Nebraska; support grows for Terry Smith

    After a 3-3 start led to James Franklin’s firing, Smith led Penn State (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) through its toughest stretch of the season. The Nittany Lions went winless in his first three games, with losses to Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 2 Indiana.

    But the team was more competitive. Penn State lost to the Hawkeyes by one point in a tough road environment, trailed the Buckeyes by three points at halftime at Ohio Stadium, and nearly handed Indiana its first loss of the season.

    Then came the team’s breakthrough, a 28-10 road win over Michigan State, followed by a dominant 27-point victory over Nebraska. Smith said he is interviewing for the head coaching job every day with the way he leads this team.

    And through five games, he believes his interview is going well.

    “No one knows Penn State better than me,” Smith said. “Of all the candidates that are out there, I [best] know the history of Penn State, I know the culture, the DNA, the locker room, the administration. I think I’m a good leader of men, and that will take care of itself when the time comes.”

    Penn State interim coach Terry Smith celebrates after winning against Nebraska on Saturday.

    Smith is correct. He spent four years as a player and 12 more as a coach at Penn State. He also has the backing of the team and its fans, which was showcased Saturday night with several “Terry!” chants and signs etched with “Hire Terry Smith.”

    Smith has generated impressive support off the field, but his team also has improved in several key areas on the field since his promotion.

    The Nittany Lions offense, which struggled to generate explosive plays before Franklin’s firing, has successfully thrown the ball downfield in recent weeks. After registering zero completions of 20 or more yards in his first two starts, Ethan Grunkemeyer had 13 completions in that category over his last three games.

    “We’re answering all your guys’ questions about throwing the ball down the field,” Smith said. “The ball is going down the field, which is opening up our run game, which is why we ran for over 200 yards [against Nebraska]. We look like a real football team.”

    On several occasions before his firing, Franklin said he wanted his defense to “play faster.” His pleas were not answered.

    Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    But three weeks ago, Smith simplified some of Jim Knowles’ defense and added a “prowler package” to generate a greater pass rush. The Nittany Lions have since allowed just 15.7 points per game and tallied 11 sacks — nearly half their season total.

    After a six-game losing streak and a 3-6 start, Smith has his team positioned for bowl eligibility. The only thing standing in its way: a road date with Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., BTN).

    “We approach these last couple of weeks as do-or-die, playoff-type games. And this is another playoff game for us,” Smith said. “We’re playing to get that extra game.”

  • Kaytron Allen’s record-breaking game highlights Penn State’s rout of Nebraska; support grows for Terry Smith

    Kaytron Allen’s record-breaking game highlights Penn State’s rout of Nebraska; support grows for Terry Smith

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton etched their names into Penn State history on Saturday as the Nittany Lions handily defeated Nebraska, 37-10.

    After Zakee Wheatley and Amare Campbell stuffed Nebraska’s fourth-down attempt on the game’s opening possession, Penn State (5-6, 2-6 Big Ten) used a seven-play, 98-yard drive to take an early lead it never relinquished.

    On a night dominated by the Nittany Lions offense, Allen rushed 25 times for 160 yards and two touchdowns to set the program’s all-time rushing record. The senior running back stands alone with 3,954 career rushing yards after breaking Evan Royster’s program record of 3,932 set in 2010.

    Kaytron Allen becomes Penn State’s career rushing leader as Nittany Lions pound Cornhuskers 37-10

    Allen said he wanted to make a difference for his team. And under the lights of Beaver Stadium, he did just that.

    “We witnessed greatness from Kaytron Allen tonight,” interim coach Terry Smith said. “Penn State has been playing football for an awfully long time, so to be the number one rusher in the history of this place is an impressive thing.”

    Singleton added two touchdowns to tie Saquon Barkley for the most total touchdowns in Penn State history (53). He finished with 51 receiving yards and 44 rushing yards.

    The Nittany Lions scored on six of their nine offensive drives en route to a 27-point victory. After two winless months, the team has rallied around Smith’s leadership to keep its bowl-game hopes alive.

    “[Smith] brought us back together. He put all the broken pieces back together,” senior linebacker Dominic DeLuca said. “He did everything he could for us to fight and to change our culture. He’s a true Penn State guy. Everyone’s behind him, everyone wants to play for him.”

    Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith (right) shown with athletic director Pat Kraft following their 37-10 win on Saturday night.

    Terry Smith fever is alive

    Beaver Stadium fans led multiple “Terry! Terry!” chants before, during, and after the Nittany Lions’ victory. Several Penn State players, including cornerbacks A.J. Harris and Audavion Collins, held up “Hire Terry Smith” signs as they ran off the field.

    After his team’s first home victory since Sept. 13, Smith said he has “always been a head coach.” He told his players in recent weeks he wants the head-coaching job at Penn State — a message Dani Dennis-Sutton said motivated him and his teammates to “win for Coach T.”

    Smith is beloved within the program. His players have bought into his messaging to turn a six-game slide into a two-game winning streak.

    And after a turbulent two months filled with heartbreaking losses and a coaching change, Smith finally got his moment on the same field he has spent 16 seasons as both a player and a coach.

    Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    “I’m very motivated by the support. My players love me unconditionally. I love them unconditionally,” Smith said. “I had the amazing opportunity today to walk in with my granddaughter and experience people chanting her grandfather’s name. Very few people get an opportunity to experience [that].”

    One by one, Penn State’s entire offensive line shared why Smith should be the program’s next head coach. Left guard Olaivavega Ioane praised him for “leading the team out of a dark time.” Sixth-year center Nick Dawkins lauded Smith’s honesty.

    Anthony Donkoh, the team’s starting right guard, was one of several players who pointed to a “Hire Terry Smith” sign postgame. Donkoh said players got the signs from fans and wanted to show support for the man known as “the truth-teller” inside the Lasch Building.

    “It just makes it a no-brainer for [Smith] to be the head coach,” Donkoh said. “The players are saying it, and the community around them is saying it. You have your guy. You don’t have to look anywhere else for who the head coach should be.”

    Penn State running back Nick Singleton led the team with 51 receiving yards against Nebraska on Saturday night.

    An offensive explosion

    Through its first seven games, Penn State’s inability to generate explosive plays hindered its offensive production. But on Saturday against Nebraska (7-4, 4-4), explosive plays were plentiful.

    The Nittany Lions generated three plays of 30 or more yards in the first quarter alone. On the team’s opening drive, Koby Howard caught a 31-yard pass before Allen’s 50-yard scamper set up tight end Andrew Rappleyea’s first career touchdown.

    Penn State still has a shot at a bowl, and Terry Smith says his players are ‘dialed in’

    Singleton added a 50-yard reception on the next possession and tacked on a pair of rushing touchdowns on the next two drives to make it four Nittany Lions scores on four first-half drives.

    Penn State finished with 412 yards of total offense and tied its season high of 37 points. Grunkemeyer continued his improved play by completing 11 of his 12 pass attempts for 181 yards and a touchdown.

    “I’m super proud of the effort from our guys. They are playing inspired football,” Smith said. “In a season that they could easily give up and quit, they’re on the brink of playing some of their best ball.”

    Up next

    Penn State hits the road for its season finale against Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) on Saturday (3:30 p.m., BTN).

  • Here’s how Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton is playing the long game to ‘get better’

    Here’s how Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton is playing the long game to ‘get better’

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — It has been a struggle-filled season for Nicholas Singleton, Penn State’s speedy senior running back.

    But it was not always like this.

    In eight starts as a freshman, the Shillington, Pa., native rushed for 1,061 yards on 156 carries and added 13 total touchdowns. His breakaway speed flashed with an 87-yard rushing touchdown in the 2023 Rose Bowl, which placed an exclamation point on an impressive rookie campaign.

    When does Penn State need to have its new coach in hand? History suggests it could be soon.

    Over the next two seasons, Singleton added 2,534 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns. Some draft experts projected that he would go as high as the second round if he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

    But Singleton stayed in Happy Valley. He wanted another chance at a national title, another opportunity to prove his worth on the national stage. But in a 2025 season filled with shocking revelations for Penn State, Singleton’s struggles have ranked near the top.

    Nicholas Singleton (10) runs during the fourth quarter against the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium.

    Through the Nittany Lions’ first eight games, the senior running back rushed 82 times for 292 yards. It marked a career-worst 3.5 yards per carry, a stark dropoff from last season’s 6.4. Singleton peaked at 39 rushing yards across Penn State’s first five Big Ten contests and scored just twice during that span.

    Andy Kotelnicki, the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator, blamed himself for not giving Singleton enough opportunities to showcase his speed. Kotelnicki said Singleton’s “superpower” is quickly bursting through holes when they open, rushing lanes that had not often presented themselves to that point in the season.

    “It’s about continued opportunities and making sure that those opportunities are ones where [Singleton] is going to have a chance to do what he does well, and that’s utilize his speed,” Kotelnicki said during a recent press conference.

    Singleton’s struggles in those eight games were exacerbated because Kaytron Allen, his roommate and counterpart in Penn State’s backfield, was enjoying a career season. Allen routinely found open rushing lanes when Singleton could not, halting the potential “poor offensive line play” excuse.

    Bottom line: Singleton didn’t look like himself. His typical explosive runs were nonexistent, and his impact on Penn State’s offense seemingly lessened with each carry.

    Penn State still has a shot at a bowl, and Terry Smith says his players are ‘dialed in’

    But team officials inside the Lasch Building, the site of the team’s training facility, never wavered. They believed Singleton’s spark would return. And they have made sure he knew that

    “The people who kept me going are the coaches, my teammates,” Singleton said. “They have always been there every step of the way throughout the whole season. I know it’s been long and a rough start, but they’ve been sticking together, coming out here and [helping me] get better every day.”

    Singleton kept his head down and his legs churning. He knew his breakthrough moment was near. And against No. 2 Indiana, his preparation met opportunity.

    Inside a packed Beaver Stadium on Nov. 8, Singleton capped a 10-play, 67-yard drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to even the score. His rushes, mainly outside the numbers, were generating more yards than they had in recent weeks. On several occasions, he was one broken tackle away from a big gain.

    Then came his breakthrough moment.

    With Penn State trailing 20-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, Singleton burst through a hole and outraced the Hoosiers’ trailing secondary until a shoestring tackle brought him down at the 1-yard line.

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    The real Singleton had finally returned.

    “I told [Singleton] after that long run, ‘This is who you are,’” said Ethan Grunkemeyer, Penn State’s starting quarterback. “When he broke that long run, you could just feel the energy.”

    The Beaver Stadium fans rose to their feet as the 21-year-old capped the drive with a 1-yard score. It was his second rushing TD of the game and 41st of his career, which placed him second on the program’s all-time rushing touchdowns list behind only Saquon Barkley (43).

    Khalil Dinkins, Penn State’s starting tight end, said Singleton simply “flipped a switch.” Singleton’s teammates knew he had his usual burst buried somewhere. He just had to find it.

    Against Indiana, he did.

    Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton (10) celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown against Indiana on Nov. 8, one of three on the afternoon.

    “Nick is an amazing football player and an amazing person,” wide receiver Devonte Ross said. “He’s always had [skill], so I think the last couple of weeks he’s been just showing what he can do.”

    The 224-pound rusher was not done yet. On the ensuing drive, he took a screen pass 19 yards for the go-ahead score. It marked the third three-touchdown game of his career.

    Singleton finished with a season-best 93 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. The next week against Michigan State, he rushed 15 times for 56 yards, the first time he had broken 50 rushing yards in consecutive games since Weeks 2 and 3.

    “Just getting back to the drawing board. Taking it one day at a time,” Singleton said. “Just [trying to] get better every day.”

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Penn State athletics right here!
  • DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State can make history, Villanova’s playoff projections, and Eastern’s dream week

    DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State can make history, Villanova’s playoff projections, and Eastern’s dream week

    When DeSean Jackson and his Delaware State program came to Lincoln Financial Field three weeks ago, he brought a team that was 5-3 and fresh off its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the season against North Carolina Central.

    After defeating Michael Vick’s Norfolk State in a battle between former Eagles teammates on Oct. 30, the Hornets beat Morgan State and Howard over the last two weeks, extending their winning streak to five.

    At 8-3, Delaware State not only has its most wins in a season since 2007, but it also has a chance to win the MEAC for the first time in 18 years and just the seventh time in school history.

    Delaware State would love to play another HBCU Classic at the Linc. The Eagles like the idea, too.

    A win on Saturday against South Carolina State (1 p.m., ESPN+) also would send the program to its first Celebration Bowl on Dec. 13 in Atlanta. The Celebration Bowl is the HBCU championship game between the winners of the MEAC and Southwestern Athletic Conference, and this year will be the 10th edition of the game.

    Getting there will be a challenge, though. South Carolina State has won the MEAC in two of the last four years, including last season under first-year coach Chennis Berry. The Bulldogs won the upset Jackson State to win the 2021 Celebration Bowl, beating a team led by Deion Sanders and his son and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

    This season, Delaware State is 4-0 at home, and averages 42.3 points and 363 rushing yards in those wins. Overall, the Hornets are the top rushing team (277.5) and No. 22 scoring offense in the FCS (33.6).

    Delaware State running back James Jones is second on the team in rushing yards with 847.

    South Carolina State’s defense ranks 16th in rushing yards allowed per game (113.5) but ranks 72nd out of 126 FCS schools in scoring defense (27.18 points per game).

    In the MEAC preseason poll, Delaware State was picked to finish last, which Jackson doesn’t let people forget, while South Carolina State was picked to win the conference for the second straight year.

    Win or lose, Jackson’s first foray into coaching has defied expectations.

    And his team may return to the Linc next season.

    Eastern University quarterback Brett Nabb (center) was named the Middle Atlantic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year for the 2025 season.

    Eastern continues to soar

    Another week of great news to deliver about the area’s little Division III program that could, as the Eagles of Eastern University wrapped up a nine-win regular season (9-1) last Saturday by winning the Middle Atlantic Conference.

    This week, the school received more conference accolades as quarterback Brett Nabb picked up Offensive Player of the Year, linebacker Jason Bateman won Defensive Player of the Year, and Billy Crocker was named the conference’s Coach of the Year.

    Next up for the Eagles? A first-round bye in the NCAA playoffs, which start Saturday. Eastern will open the postseason on the road against Franklin & Marshall on Nov. 29 (noon, watch live).

    Projecting Villanova’s FCS playoff spot

    Villanova won its final game in the Coastal Athletic Association in thrilling fashion last weekend and currently is second (8-2, 7-1 CAA) in the conference standings behind Rhode Island (9-2, 7-0).

    To earn at least a share of the CAA title, Villanova needs Rhode Island to lose its conference finale against Hampton. Also in the mix for a piece of the title is Monmouth (9-2, 6-1), which faces Albany, although Villanova would win any tiebreaking scenario and the automatic FCS playoff berth that comes with it against Rhode Island and Monmouth. Hampton and Albany are winless in conference play.

    Wildcats wide receiver Luke Colella (1) scores a touchdown against Stony Brook.

    A CAA title seems unlikely for Villanova, but it will set its sights on a third straight FCS playoff berth and fourth appearance over the last five seasons. The Wildcats likely will receive an at-large bid to the 24-team playoff, with their last regular-season hurdle coming in the form of Sacred Heart (8-3), which will join the CAA next year as Villanova exits for the Patriot League (1 p.m., FloCollege).

    First-year coach K.C. Keeler is committed to Temple, Philly, and his ‘grandpa’ dance moves

    Many outlets project Villanova earning a top 16 seed as a first-round playoff host. Opta Analysis projects Villanova as the No. 11 seed and hosting Youngstown State, while Hero Sports and Sports Illustrated have Villanova as the No. 16 seed and also hosting Youngstown State in the first round.

    The Wildcats know Youngstown State well. Villanova beat the Penguins, 24-17, to open the 2024 season and won a 2023 playoff matchup, 45-28. The schools also had three memorable playoff matchups in the ’90s, all won by Youngstown State.

    Villanova has advanced past the first round of the FCS playoffs in its last four appearances. We’ll see if Mark Ferrante’s squad can solidify its playoff standing Saturday at Villanova Stadium, where the Wildcats are 5-0.

    Penn wide receiver Jared Richardson is chasing more records.

    Record chasers

    With one game left in Penn’s football season, against Princeton on Saturday (1 p.m., NBCSP+), wide receiver Jared Richardson needs three more receiving touchdowns to set a single-season record. Richardson, the team’s leading receiver, has caught 12 touchdowns this season. The previous school record was set in 2017 by Justin Watson, who caught 14 before embarking on an NFL career that continues with the Houston Texans this year.

    Two weeks ago, we told you about Richardson’s pursuit of the program’s single-season receiving yards record. After combining for 123 yards over the last two games, Richardson needs 178 more yards to surpass Watson’s mark (1,115) set in 2016.

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    Penn is out of the race to win the Ivy League with a 3-3 conference record. But Richardson, who in 2023 set a school record with 17 receptions in a game, also can reach the top three in school history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He is tied with Dan Castles for the second-most receiving touchdowns in a career (27) and needs 35 yards to surpass Castles (2,444) for the third-most receiving yards in program history. Richardson currently sits at 2,410 receiving yards.

    Meanwhile, Penn State running back Kaytron Allen needs 139 yards over the last two games to become the Nittany Lions’ all-time leading rusher. Penn State, which hosts Nebraska on Saturday (7 p.m., NBC10) still is chasing a bowl game berth, and likely will lean on Allen to get there.

    Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (13) celebrates after a touchdown with Nicholas Singleton.

    Allen sits third all-time on Penn State’s rushing yards in a career list with 3,794 yards, and trails Saquon Barkley (3,843) by 49 yards. Evan Royster has the all-time mark with 3,932 yards. Allen already surpassed Royster’s mark for most rushing attempts in a Penn State career.

    Fellow running back Nick Singleton is close to breaking two Penn State records. Singleton trails Barkley (43 rushing touchdowns) by two and is one touchdown away from tying Barkley’s total touchdowns from scrimmage (51 for Barkley, 50 for Singleton).

    Former Penn State head coach James Franklin was named the new head coach at Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

    Game of the week

    No. 13 Miami at Virginia Tech (noon, ESPN)

    All eyes will be on the sidelines of the Hokies, who welcome the Hurricanes as 17.5-point underdogs at home. The question will be if new coach James Franklin will stand alongside interim coach Philip Montgomery or evaluate what he has in the 3-7 Hokies from elsewhere in the stadium. Miami should win easily, but the intrigue is just how soon Franklin gets his feet wet.

  • Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    Drew Allar says his season-ending injury and the firing of James Franklin ‘still doesn’t feel real’

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Drew Allar said Thursday that he underwent successful surgery to repair his fractured left ankle. He said his rehab is “off to a really good start.”

    The 6-foot-5 quarterback finished his Penn State career with the program’s highest completion percentage. He led the Nittany Lions to the brink of a national title game berth last season, a performance many draft experts tabbed worthy of making him a first-round pick had he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.

    But Allar felt he had unfinished business in Happy Valley. After a heartbreaking end to a successful junior campaign, one that ended with Allar tossing a game-sealing interception to seal Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, he returned to State College for his senior campaign.

    His season did not go as planned. After a sporadic first five games, Allar suffered a season-ending ankle fracture in Penn State’s Oct. 11 loss to Northwestern, a result immediately followed by James Franklin’s firing.

    Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass against Northwestern on Oct. 11.

    In 24 hours, not only did Allar’s college career end, but the head coach who recruited him and grew close to him over the last four years lost his job.

    “That was one of the worst weekends of my life,” Allar said. “I just stuck to my circle between my teammates here at Penn State and my family back home. … It still doesn’t feel real to some extent.”

    Allar took accountability for Penn State’s 3-3 start. He said the team wouldn’t have lost three games in a row if he had made more plays, specifically citing the game-sealing interception he threw in the Nittany Lions’ 30-24 loss to Oregon.

    Penn State still has a shot at a bowl, and Terry Smith says his players are ‘dialed in’

    The Ohio native, who has stayed with the team throughout his rehab process, has been present at practice and traveled with the Nittany Lions to road games against Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, and Michigan State.

    Interim head coach Terry Smith said Allar is “in every meeting” and has served as a tremendous help to Ethan Grunkemeyer, Penn State’s redshirt freshman QB who replaced Allar under center. And while Allar’s presence has aided teammates and coaches, he said being around his teammates has helped him the most.

    “Selfishly, I felt like I needed to be around the team for my own sake,” Allar said. “I didn’t want to leave the guys or the coaches because I knew what kind of situation we were in … And for me personally as a captain, I felt like it was an obligation for me to be there for the guys.”

    Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) with his former coach James Franklin after losing to Oregon on Sept. 27.

    While Allar has remained around the program, his former head coach has moved on. Franklin was introduced as the head coach at Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

    Allar said he has talked to Franklin “about every other day” since his injury and congratulated him on his new gig. The duo earned consecutive 10-win seasons in Happy Valley, the kind of success that Allar believes awaits his former head coach with the Hokies.

    “[Franklin is] going to do a great job at Virginia Tech. It is a great spot for him,” Allar said. “I’m very excited to see what he does. I’m very happy for him and his family. They’ve done a great amount for me and my teammates.”

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    Allar has played more than four games in each of his four collegiate seasons, which means he is out of college eligibility. With the Reese’s Senior Bowl scheduled for Jan. 31 and the NFL Combine beginning on Feb. 27, Allar’s next steps are near.

    But during Thursday’s media session, he did not directly answer questions regarding his participation in any of the major pre-draft evaluation events.

    “I’m not really going to get into all the timeline stuff,” Allar said. “There are a lot of things that have to go in a certain way.”

  • James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    James Franklin vows to pour his ‘heart and soul’ into new job as Virginia Tech’s coach

    The James Franklin era at Penn State ended Oct. 12 after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern, ending his 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley. Thirty-eight days later, he walked into Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum with “Enter Sandman” blaring on the speakers, the song that plays when the Hokies enter each home game at Lane Stadium.

    On Wednesday, two days after making the move official, Virginia Tech introduced Franklin as its new football coach.

    Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    “Been in this profession for over 30 years, and I’ve learned a ton of lessons,” Franklin said at the news conference. “… Got my first big break in the ACC, been a head coach in the SEC, been a head coach in the Big Ten, and now obviously fortunate to have this unbelievable opportunity in the ACC at Virginia Tech.

    “All these experiences, all these lessons that I’ve learned, we’re going to pour them into Virginia Tech.”

    Before he spoke at the podium, Franklin received glowing reviews from Virginia Tech’s board of visitors member, John Rocovich, president Tim Sands, and athletic director Whit Babcock. Babcock called Franklin “a proven program builder, a winner, an elite recruiter, a strong developer of men, and a relentless competitor.” Rocovich said “Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech will be the best place he ever lived.”

    Franklin, 53, has a 128-60 record in 15 years as a head coach at Vanderbilt and Penn State.

    Franklin mostly discussed his vision for the program. He did not talk much about Penn State, where he went 104-45, but he did use a moment in his opening statement to show appreciation for his former school.

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    “I want to thank Penn State. I had 12 years there,” Franklin said. “It’s very unusual in college football, to get 12 years at a place, most importantly, the relationships, the staff, the players. The players here at Virginia Tech are going to find out I’m a players’ coach. That’s what it’s all about for me. That’s what it always will be.”

    Franklin also thanked several people at Virginia Tech, including former longtime coach Frank Beamer, whom he called for his blessing the night before he took the job. But Franklin got choked up talking about Brent Pry, the Hokies’ former head coach, alongside whom Franklin worked for 11 seasons at Vanderbilt and Penn State.

    Pry was Penn State’s defensive coordinator from 2014 to 2021. Franklin wanted to make sure his former colleague and his family “got the respect they deserve.”

    Penn State coach James Franklin (right) with defensive coordinator Brent Pry in 2021.

    “Brent’s dad was my offensive coordinator in college. I’ve known Brent for over 30 years,” Franklin said, holding back tears. “I’ve got a ton of respect for Brent and his family. I know he poured his heart and soul into this place. I know this place is better today because of Brent and the commitment that he made.”

    For the first time in a long time, Franklin said he had time to reflect and “take a deep breath” in the month in between jobs.

    “Me and my family, to take a take a minute to recharge our battery was very important,” he said.

    Virginia Tech was aggressive in its pursuit of him, Franklin said. “The very first time we met — I don’t want to speak for them, but I feel like they were ready for me to say yes that night,” he said. As the talks played out, the former Penn State coach said he used the notes app on his phone, compiling “next staff” and “things that I learned through the process.”

    “Some of those things are for public consumption. Some of those things are private for me and my family but areas that I know we need to grow and get better,” Franklin said. “People that have been following my career and the things that we did at Penn State, what I’m talking about is what you see right now, the leadership, the commitment, and the alignment. And the nice thing for me is I’m walking in here, and that alignment already exists.”

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    Franklin already has hit the recruiting trail, he said, and has spoken with more than 40 Virginia Tech pledges and most of the top players in Virginia. He even sent offers to former and current Penn State pledges, including Timber Creek’s Roseby Lubintus, an offensive tackle.

    Franklin’s recruiting philosophy largely will remain the same and rely on high school recruiting with the transfer portal supplementing the roster. Now he has the task of leading a program that hasn’t won the ACC since 2010 and has played for the national championship just once in school history (1999).

    “You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place more than me and my family,” Franklin said. “I give you my word on that.”

  • Shayla Smith is adjusting to college basketball at Penn State after record-setting high school career

    Shayla Smith is adjusting to college basketball at Penn State after record-setting high school career

    Shayla Smith mingled on the Hagan Arena court Sunday afternoon, posing for a photo with St. Joseph’s guard Kaylinn Bethea.

    The brief reunion with a former Philly Rise EYBL teammate was one reason Smith said it felt like “a breath of fresh air” to be back in her hometown. It was her first trip as a Penn State player, after becoming the city’s all-time scoring leader for high school boys’ and girls’ basketball last spring.

    “It definitely feels good to be back here,” Smith told The Inquirer. “ … Just coming back home, seeing everybody, all my people.”

    An undisclosed injury kept Smith from playing in the Nittany Lions’ 89-77 victory over St Joe’s. Yet the former Audenried superstar is embracing the beginning of her college career, and coach Carolyn Kieger expects Smith to “drastically” help a 4-0 Penn State this season.

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    “I wish she was 100% to play in her hometown today,” Kieger said postgame. “ … I’ve been really impressed with her work ethic and how she’s kind of been just soaking up learning and growing.

    “It’s an unfortunate injury there, but she’ll be back healthy and ready to rock here in no time.”

    Smith has played 19 total minutes during two of Penn State’s first four games, going 3-of-7 from the floor for six points along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

    But the 5-foot-9 freshman guard believes she has already improved since arriving on campus for summer workouts. Physically, Smith feels stronger and faster. Mentally, she feels more decisive, a necessity in Kieger’s “0.5” offensive system that requires players to begin to shoot, pass, or dribble in less than a second.

    Penn State freshman Shayla Smith (center) has played 19 total minutes this season.

    Smith also has concentrated on being a more vocal teammate, a noticeable emphasis while she watched Sunday’s game from the bench. She emphatically clapped when the Nittany Lions surrendered a layup on their opening possession, clearly aiming to motivate those on the floor. She stood up, lifted three fingers, and hollered “Yeah!” when Vitória Santana buried a three-pointer that gave Penn State an 86-74 lead with 1 minute, 37 seconds remaining. Smith applauded as her team dribbled out the final seconds of a game often played at a frenetic pace.

    Kieger said she envisions utilizing Smith’s frame and skills on both ends of the floor. She is an obvious three-level scorer who can shoot from beyond the arc and muscle her way inside. Those attributes fueled a decorated high school career in which she amassed a record-breaking 2,691 career points and averaged 27.5 points as a senior. Smith also has the capability to guard multiple positions, Kieger said.

    Audenried’s Shayla Smith went from overlooked to the city’s most decorated high school hoops player

    “I’m going to bring my physicality as a guard,” Smith said. “Just my attack mindset. Just embracing my role. Trying to be the best at what they need me to do. … When I get my chances, just do what I can do. Play my game when I get the chance.”

    Heading to Happy Valley also has meant adapting to college life. Though Smith quipped that she enjoys “just being able to do whatever I want and nobody saying anything,” these early months have been a test in time management. A diligent gym rat, Smith has been learning when to squeeze her individual workout time in between classes, practices, and other team obligations such as alumni events.

    “There’s always something to do,” Smith said. “ … I’ve just got to find the time to work on my craft and still be on top of everything else.”

    While recovering from this injury, Smith said she has been trying to make the best of observing how the game unfolds from a pulled-back perspective. That was a rarity when the offense flowed through her as a record-breaking high school player, who was a three-time All-State honoree and anchored Audenried’s three-peat as Public League champions.

    Shayla Smith, the former Audenried standout, did not play in Penn State’s win over St. Joseph’s on Sunday because of an injury.

    And spending Sunday’s return to Philly on the bench has made her “eager” to truly get her college career underway.

    “I just want to be a great teammate [and] master my role,” Smith said. “Bring my physicality. Bring everything that I can. I want to contribute, and help the team make it to the NCAA Tournament and Big Ten championship.”

  • Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    Virginia Tech hires James Franklin as its next football coach

    Just over five weeks after being dismissed by Penn State, James Franklin has landed his next coaching job.

    Franklin finalized a deal on Monday to become football coach at Virginia Tech, succeeding Brent Pry, who was fired in September. Franklin will become the program’s 36th head coach.

    “Laura and I enthusiastically welcome Coach Franklin and his family to Virginia Tech and Hokie Nation. His experience, passion, and record of success embody our commitment to compete at the highest level,” Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in a news release. ” … James will provide the leadership and inspiration our student-athletes need, and the performance on the field that our university community, alumni, and fans expect and deserve. I can’t wait to be in Lane Stadium when he leads the team out of the tunnel for the first time, the crowd starts jumping, and we launch this winning journey together.”

    Franklin spent more than 12 seasons with the Nittany Lions, compiling a 104-45 record. He won a Big Ten title in 2016, earned a College Football Playoff berth last year, and had six seasons with 10 or more wins.

    His buyout with the Nittany Lions, once valued at $49 million, reportedly will be reduced to $9 million after negotiations with Penn State.

    Since longtime Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer retired after the 2015 season, the Hokies’ program has struggled to find consistency, with just four winning seasons over the last decade. Justin Fuente followed Beamer, had a strong start with 10 and nine wins in 2016 and 2017, respectively, but mutually agreed to part ways with the school in 2021 after compiling a 43-31 record.

    Pry, the former Penn State defensive coordinator, took over in 2022 but had just one winning season and was fired after a blowout loss to Old Dominion earlier this year.

    Virginia Tech’s football team is 3-7 this season.

    Virginia Tech is 3-7 this season and hasn’t won the ACC since 2010.

    Franklin was an active recruiter in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area while he was at Penn State, and that ability should aid him in Blacksburg, Va. At Penn State, he finished with a top-10 recruiting class twice (2018, 2022).

    Franklin took Penn State the furthest it has been in the College Football Playoff era last season, losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals. With minimal roster turnover, Penn State was ranked No. 2 to start the 2025 season and was expected to be a serious title contender.

    Instead, the Nittany Lions lost to Oregon on Sept. 27 in overtime, then followed it up with losses to UCLA and Northwestern, prompting Franklin’s dismissal on Oct. 12.

    Less than a week after his firing, Franklin appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay and spoke publicly for the first time since he was fired. He said the decision was a “shock” to him but chose to focus on the “unbelievable moments” he had in State College.

    “I had a great run there. Twelve years. Penn State was good to me and my family,” Franklin said. “I’m a players’ coach, so walking away from all those young men in that locker room, the recruits that were committed to us, that’s the challenging part. It’s [about] the people at the end of the day.”

    Now Franklin gets a fresh start with a program desperate to compete again for conference titles and a playoff spot. He’ll be introduced at the university on Wednesday.

    “I’m honored and humbled to join the Hokie family,” Franklin said in a news release. “My vision is simple: to restore unmatched excellence, to build something that lasts, and to serve this university, the Commonwealth of Virginia and our amazing fan base with honor, integrity, and passion. I look forward to getting to work with our players, our staff, and the entire Virginia Tech community.”

  • Penn State still has a shot at a bowl, and Terry Smith says his players are ‘dialed in’

    STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Terry Smith has two phones. Each received more than 500 messages after Penn State’s 28-10 victory over Michigan State on Saturday, the first in the career of the interim head coach.

    Those texts came from former players, fellow coaches, family members and “nearly everyone” Smith has known throughout his life, he said. That support meant the world to Smith, who fought back tears and took several pauses to collect his emotions as he reflected on his journey.

    “There are so many people in my life that speak life into me,” Smith said Monday. “I’ve had the opportunity to be the head coach at Penn State. I don’t think anything has made me or my family happier than this opportunity.”

    After the team’s third straight loss and the dismissal of coach James Franklin, Smith took over as the program’s interim coach on Oct. 12. A longtime Nittany Lion, he said Penn State is all his family knows.

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    Smith played wide receiver for the Nittany from 1987-91 and has served as a coach for the last 12 years. His father graduated from Penn State in 1968. He said nine of his family members have Penn State degrees, and three more are current students at the university.

    Bottom line: Smith bleeds blue and white. And the opportunity to lead the university’s football program has been a “dream.”

    “This place has done so much for me and my family. This place is special. It’s amazing,” Smith said. “I just want to give back to it. I just want to make sure that we are putting out a team that everyone can be proud of.”

    Penn State linebacker Keon Wylie sacks Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic on Saturday.

    In an era of college football dominated by the transfer portal, and at a point in the season when players begin to opt out as the bowls approach, Smith said Penn State “could have easily packed it in.” But despite a six-game losing streak, a head-coaching change, and several key injuries, the players are still with him, the coach said.

    It is a testament to the respect Smith garners within the Lasch Building, Penn State’s training facility. It is the reason his players doused him with purple Gatorade and hoisted him into the air after the victory in East Lansing, Mich.

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    And it is the reason the Nittany Lions are still fighting for bowl eligibility at the end of an adversity-filled season.

    “The buy-in has been awesome,” Smith said. “One of our older guys has something going on in December, and he asked me, ‘Coach, when we win these two games, will we have practice that weekend?’ We’re in a time of opt-out. We’re in a time where guys can easily walk away. This is one of our veteran guys, which speaks volumes to this locker room.”

    Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer runs for a first down in the fourth quarter against Michigan State.

    The anonymous senior is correct. If Penn State (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten) wins its remaining two games, it becomes bowl eligible. The first of those tests comes against Nebraska (7-3, 4-3) at Beaver Stadium on Saturday (7 p.m., NBC10).

    Smith said he gave his players four keys to success before Saturday’s win: dominate the line of scrimmage, play with passion and pride, get Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen a combined 30 touches, and pressure the quarterback. The Nittany Lions achieved those goals against the Spartans and intend to do so on Senior Day against the Cornhuskers.

    “These guys are dialed in,” Smith said. “They’re playing their hearts out. There is no dissension, no guys looking the other way. They got their first taste of victory in a long time, they enjoyed it, and they want to experience it again.”