Penn State football’s 2023 season concluded with a 38-25 loss to Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Nittany Lions were outplayed in every category by a talented Rebels team amid key absences from players such as Olu Fashanu, Kalen King, and Chop Robinson. It wasn’t a pretty afternoon, so let’s break down how each position group fared.

Quarterbacks: C

Drew Allar didn’t look his best. He went 19-for-39 with two touchdowns and an interception. The interception, which was the second of his career, was a deep ball that looked carelessly uncharacteristic of the sophomore. However, his awareness and mobility in the pocket is a positive takeaway from his outing in Atlanta. Allar’s struggles in big moments are something worth addressing this offseason.

Beau Pribula completed his only pass, which was a touchdown pass for 48 yards, while also picking up 16 yards on the ground. His package with Allar was interesting to watch, but he didn’t see the field that much, and Allar didn’t play particularly well.

Running Backs: C+

Nick Singleton had a decent outing, as he was utilized both in the rushing and receiving game. He had 86 receiving yards and a touchdown while picking up 50 yards on the ground. Kaytron Allen didn’t do as well, as he only had 51 rushing yards. Saturday should’ve been a field day for this group against Ole Miss’ weak run defense.

Wide Receivers: F

When the most a wide receiver on your team has is 67 receiving yards, there’s a huge problem. Trey Wallace, a sophomore, led Penn State’s wide receivers with 67 yards and a touchdown grab in the second half. Liam Clifford had 25 receiving yards, while KeAndre Lambert-Smith was only targeted once, and Dante Cephas didn’t see the field.

It’s no secret that Penn State has some serious work to do with this room. The program didn’t land any of the top receivers in the transfer portal, and it’s going to be a huge ask of talented incoming freshman Tyseer Denmark to take the reins as WR1.

Tight Ends: A-

Again, Penn State showed why it’s a tight end school on Saturday. Tyler Warren impressed with a team-high 127 receiving yards, and his massive play at the end of the first quarter is a must-see. Additionally, Theo Johnson caught a touchdown pass in his final game as a Nittany Lion. There are big reasons for optimism from this group heading into next season with the return of Warren.

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— Onward State (@OnwardState) December 30, 2023

Offensive Line: C+

The offensive line allowed one sack and no quarterback hurries. However, Allar was running for his life at times. On the flip side, though, the running backs had more chances to find gaps. Things might’ve gone differently had Olu Fashanu played, but instead, there were mixed results from the offensive line.

Front Seven: C

Quarterback Jaxson Dart had plenty of time to throw throughout most of the game, and running back Quinshon Judkins didn’t encounter much trouble finding holes and making plays after the first half. The front seven made eight tackles for loss, which is modest, but only had one sack. The group had some good moments, but it didn’t show up consistently enough.

Secondary: F

The secondary’s performance is the biggest reason why Penn State lost. The group’s 394 passing yards allowed the most of the season. The group particularly struggled to contain wideout Tre Harris and tight end Caden Prieskorn, who had 270 of those yards.

It was always going to be a tall task against Ole Miss without Kalen King and Johnny Dixon, but Jaylen Reed, KJ Winston, and Daequan Hardy didn’t play as well as they needed to. It was a tough outing for Cam Miller, Zion Tracy, and other young players, but one they’ll learn from their call-ups ahead of the 2024 season.

Special Teams: D-

Alex Felkins’ blocked field goal affected Penn State’s momentum and proved to be a pivotal moment in which many blue and white fans felt the defeat amid the game. Additionally, Nick Singleton was left hanging while returning a kickoff and got swarmed by the Rebels at the 10-yard line as a result. Those kinds of plays just shouldn’t be happening.