Everyone exhale.

Penn State football survived Minnesota with a 26-25 win in Minneapolis in its final away game of the regular season. The game came down to the final drive, which ended with Tyler Warren making a catch to wind the clock down.

After the intense, heart-stopping game that included a slow start for Penn State, our football writers broke down fans’ hottest takes.

Penn State’s Final Drive Was The Best Of James Franklin’s Tenure

CJ Doebler: I’m not sure it was the best coaching of his tenure, but it was near the top. It was risky and included a fake punt from the Nittany Lions’ own side of the field, but it worked. While a fake punt converted one fourth down for Penn State, it still had to convert two more to completely ice the game.

Franklin admitted that if the fake hadn’t worked, there would be a very different narrative. But it did, and the Nittany Lions’ final drive on Saturday was a feat.

Mitch Corcoran: That last drive was certainly something. Twelve plays, 72 yards, 5:48 of clock erased, and three fourth downs converted. And to cap it all off, Drew Allar scrambled around the pocket and found Tyler Warren to win the game.

Like the USC game, the game against Minnesota was a game Penn State lost in the past. Minnesota was at home with nothing to lose, the Nittany Lions had everything to lose, and many things broke the Golden Gophers’ way with the blocked punt and the point after returned for a two-point conversion.

If it wasn’t Franklin’s best drive of his tenure, then it’s certainly up there. The game shouldn’t have been that close, but Minnesota played a lot better than I expected, and I think Penn State should get a lot of credit for hanging on to the win.

Nolan Wick: “Best” is one way to put it. Penn State did, after all, end up having three fourth downs in the game’s most critical drive. That is a bit nitpicky, and Franklin deserves credit for outcoaching PJ Fleck and a great Minnesota defense in all three of those plays. The fake punt was sensational, and you can’t go wrong with the ol’ reliable tush-push. Franklin’s “surrender” play call for Warren to go down after making the final catch within the five-yard line was smart. The offense didn’t need to run another play, the Golden Gophers had no more timeouts, and a touchdown still wouldn’t have ruled out a Hail Mary attempt with a two-point conversion to tie the game again.

Other great drives that come to mind are against Iowa in 2017, and USC last month. This Minnesota drive was pretty damn good and is certainly at or near the top.

Penn State Isn’t A Legitimate College Football Playoff Threat

CJ: Every team has bad games, and this was Penn State’s fifth straight game and second straight road game. Minnesota had also shown flashes of talent this year, and the game did have a trap game-like feel going into it. Somehow, though, the Nittany Lions ground it out, and I think that’s what the focus should be when determining how far Penn State could go.

Mitch: Penn State is a legitimate College Football Playoff threat but not a national championship threat. The Nittany Lions will likely be the No. 6 seed when it’s all said and done but no matter who is drawn, I think the first round will be a challenge.

Being the No. 6 seed also means hosting a home game, which I think boosts Penn State’s odds to advance. If it gets past the first round, then Penn State will face one of the conference champions, likely the ACC champion. At that point, I think the Nittany Lions would have another good shot to advance to the semifinals, but I don’t see them going any further.

I don’t think Penn State has the roster to be a national championship contender because teams like Oregon, Ohio State, and Texas, who will likely be in the semifinals too, have more talent than the Nittany Lions.

Nolan: Penn State has consistently struggled against the kinds of top-10 teams it’ll likely see if it makes the playoffs, but there’s a silver lining: The Nittany Lions now have two gutsy wins this season. Good teams find ways to win games even if it isn’t pretty, and this team’s only loss is by a touchdown against Ohio State. Every top team has at least one example of a close game it should’ve won convincingly (see Oregon at Wisconsin, the Buckeyes against Nebraska, for instance), and managing to win those says a lot about a team’s character and resilience.

The Nittany Lions rank near the top among FBS teams in several categories. On paper, they’re a legitimate threat and deserve to be taken seriously. A deep run could be in the cards if they get a good draw.

Field Goals Won The Game

CJ: Ryan Barker’s leg was a big part of Penn State’s success on Saturday. The redshirt freshman converted from both 45 and 32 yards on Saturday, while Minnesota’s Dragan Kesich hit from 48 and 42 yards. If it weren’t for the blocked extra point that was returned for two, Barker’s field goal would’ve been the difference. Regardless, the consistency at the placekicker spot has been very important for Penn State this year and will continue to be crucial down the stretch.

Mitch: Barker has been huge for Penn State since the USC game. He is 10-for-11 on field goals and 27-for-28 on extra points this season. However, I think it’s a stretch to say field goals won the game. Barker made two field goals and Penn State put up 26 points. Sure, the field goals certainly help, but I don’t think they won the game.

Nolan: Every play in a close game is magnified significantly more, especially field goals. Barker has been very reliable for Penn State, including against Minnesota. If he misses even one of those field goals, the Nittany Lions don’t win. But he made them, and they won.

Tom Allen Got Schooled

CJ: Yeah, the defense had its issues on Saturday, but it also created two turnovers and was a big factor in the narrow win. Quarterback Max Brosmer went 15-for-23 for 174 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but Minnesota has been one of the better passing offenses in the Big Ten this year. The concerning stat from Saturday was the 130 yards given up by a front seven that has, for the most part, stifled run games this year. It was rough early, but the defense showed up when they needed to.

Mitch: It was not a great look for Allen’s defense. There were some tackling struggles and Minnesota scored 19 points in the first half — the most Penn State has given up since the USC game.

But the second half defense stepped up once again. The Nittany Lions allowed just six points, 22 rush yards, and recovered a fumble in the half to give the offense a chance to come back. They also finished with nine tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception.

I’ve been critical of Allen this year, but his halftime adjustments have consistently worked well, and it was another good response from his group after getting punched in the mouth in the first half.

Nolan: Allen’s defense had a rough outing, even though the final stat line wasn’t so bad. Penn State had trouble containing Darius Taylor, who it knew was a problem heading into the game. Daniel Jackson caught passes from Max Brosmer all game, and he was also difficult to handle. The front seven’s ability to wreak havoc as the game went on proved to be a difference-maker, as Taylor and Marcus Major were eventually held in check.

The Minnesota Win Was Huge For The Program

CJ: Even though it didn’t feel like it going into the game, Saturday’s win ended up being very important. A loss would’ve been extremely detrimental to the Nittany Lions’ playoff hopes, and the way in which the win came should be a momentum builder for the future.

Penn State has now won two road games this season by three points or less, with the first being the 33-30 overtime victory over USC. Once again being able to step up in a pressure situation and come out with a win, though, is a big stepping stone and experience builder with a potential playoff berth looming.

Mitch: It wasn’t just a win but a critical domino that needed to fall for the program. Assuming Penn State beats 4-7 Maryland on Saturday, the Nittany Lions will clinch its first-ever playoff berth, host a playoff game at Beaver Stadium, and be 11-1 for the first time since 2008.

The team persevered through adversity and beat Minnesota in a gutsy way. If Penn State lost, there was a non-zero chance that it would miss the playoffs.

Nolan: Saturday’s win was telling. When multiple teams across the country suffered big upsets, Penn State remained poised and pulled out a win in a tough road environment, which isn’t easy. The Nittany Lions did this against USC and Wisconsin, and they’re a resilient team. Successfully converting three times on fourth down takes skill against a defense such as Minnesota’s. Penn State would still be in playoff contention given what happened to Ole Miss, Alabama, and Texas A&M if it lost, but all that stands in the way of a home game is lowly Maryland at Beaver Stadium.