Penn State football lost a 45-37 heartbreaker against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday. A slow start kept the Nittany Lions playing catch-up throughout the game, but their hopes of a comeback didn’t fade until the very end.

The offense had a mixed bag, while the defense turned in one of its worst performances of the season against the Ducks’ high-octane offense. Let’s break down how each group did.

Quarterbacks: C

Drew Allar had a very mixed bag. On one hand, he completed just 20-of-39 passes for a season-low 51.3% completion rate and threw two interceptions. His game-sealing interception on 2nd-and-1, along with multiple other throws, looked reckless.

However, Allar had 226 passing yards, three touchdowns, 54 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown. Some of his throws were fantastic, including the fourth-down touchdown pass to Trey Wallace in the fourth quarter. He’s had worse performances, but he’s also been much, much better.

Running Backs: A+

Penn State’s running backs were the only bright spot against Oregon, which makes sense considering the Ducks’ run defense is very inferior to their passing defense. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen exploited Oregon’s weakness for 229 rushing yards, as the former had 105 yards while the latter had 124 and a touchdown.

Singleton also had 43 receiving yards and a touchdown, and Allen had three catches for 15 yards. The duo appears to be back in good form, which could bode well moving forward.

Wide Receivers: C

Wallace led the group with 59 receiving yards and a touchdown. Omari Evans got involved with a 22-yard touchdown reception, but that was it. Neither Julian Fleming nor Liam Clifford registered any stats.

Wallace’s performance was decent, and Evans can be a deep threat. Both were utilized better than they’ve been recently against the Ducks.

Tight Ends: A-

Tyler Warren had seven catches for 84 yards. He averaged 12 yards per catch and frequently proved difficult for Oregon to contain. Although he didn’t score a touchdown, he was still one of the most reliable players on the field.

Khalil Dinkins also got involved with one catch for 3 yards, and Luke Reynolds was in the backfield multiple times.

Offensive Line: C+

Penn State’s offensive line allowed four quarterback hurries, two tackles for loss, and one sack. It paved the way for a hefty rushing yards total, but it still wasn’t the best game we’ve seen from the group given its problems keeping Allar and the backfield secure.

Front Seven: F

The only team to exceed Oregon’s 183 rushing yards was USC with 189, and only Ohio State came anywhere close to reaching that rushing total against Penn State. The Nittany Lions struggled against Jordan James and Noah Whittington, who had 87 and 82 yards, respectively. James had two rushing touchdowns.

Amin Vanover’s sack was the only one Penn State had, and it did not have any quarterback hurries. This was an all-around forgettable experience, and the Nittany Lions have their work cut out ahead of the playoffs.

Secondary: F

Penn State’s secondary was its biggest Achilles heel, as the Nittany Lions allowed 283 passing yards. Wide receiver Tez Johnson accounted for 181 yards and a touchdown, more passing yards than six teams had against the Nittany Lions this season. Unlike Jeremiah Smith, Tai Felton, and several other top playmakers Penn State faced this season, nobody could contain Johnson. His ability to create space, break tackles, and sprint for big gains was problematic the whole night.

Additionally, Dillon Gabriel had a 69% completion rate and four touchdowns. Like Johnson, he was elusive and made big plays time after time. While both players deserve credit for being two of the best in college football, hardly containing them is a failure.

Special Teams: C

Ryan Barker went one-of-two, with the miss being a 40-yard attempt. Riley Thompson also had two punts for 94 yards. Things could’ve been better on special teams.