Penn State football picked up its second straight victory on Saturday, beating FIU 34-0 at home in Beaver Stadium.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Nittany Lions, though, even against an inferior opponent. Penn State only led the Panthers 10-0 heading into halftime, a far cry from what was expected by the Nittany Lion faithful. In another contest where Penn State didn’t get the start they had hoped, fans took to X with some hot takes during the game over the weekend.

Kaytron Allen Will Be The Clear-Cut RB1 By The End Of The Season

Collin Ward: No, Kaytron Allen will not be the RB1 by the end of the year, and he will continue to split time with Nick Singleton. The fact that people are saying this is only because they forgot what the roles were last season. Singleton has always been the third down and receiving back and will get fewer touches on the ground.

I also expect Singleton to pick up his play when the tougher opponents come around.

Oscar Orellana: Absolutely not. Allen and Singleton are a two-for-one deal, and their play is synonymous with each other. James Franklin and the Penn State offense are not going to distance themselves from that formula just because Allen has had a stronger start to 2025.

Cooper Cazares: After three years, Singleton and Allen have gone hand in hand. The two running backs have been the backbone of Penn State’s offense, and to say that Allen will be the clear-cut RB1 is a real stretch to me. I would expect these two to continue trading weeks in terms of usage, as the offense will give it to the hot hand on any given day; however, Singleton WILL NOT be an afterthought at the season’s end.

Chaz Coleman Is Already Good Enough To Start

Collin Ward: Yes, Chaz Coleman has the talent to start right now, but will he? Probably not. I would give it until week six for him to get fully settled into college football before we discuss him really taking that every-down role.

Remember, Coleman did not play defensive end until his senior year of high school. Every game is a significant step for the freshman, and I expect to see him improve every week until he is undeniable.

Oscar Orellana: Sure, Coleman had a stellar game against FIU and is definitely on the come-up in the Penn State defensive line group. However, I don’t think Franklin will make Coleman the starter with what seems to be Zuriah Fisher’s last college football season.

Coleman is still young and raw, but there’s no doubt in my mind that his playing time will dramatically increase as the season goes on. I just think it’d be smart to continue developing him, implement him in small doses, and let him do his thing without forcing anything.

Cooper Cazares: Coleman looks to be as good as advertised. After a breakout week against FIU, I completely understand this take. The real argument isn’t ‘is he good enough to start?’ but rather ‘should he start?’ With upperclassman Fisher making his way back from injury, and Coleman being a close second on the two-deep rotation, I wouldn’t be surprised if the freshman burns his redshirt; however, I think once the more experienced Fisher gets back to full health, it would be wise to keep Coleman where he is on the depth chart.

But to answer the question, yes, Coleman could start for the Nittany Lions right now.

When Devonte Ross Is Healthy, He’s The Best Wide Receiver On The Team

Collin Ward: Devonte Ross is not the best receiver on the team; that’s Kyron Hudson. The USC transfer has proven he has a unique ability to grab the ball and will continue to play as WR1. I do love the way Ross plays, though, and think he will get the ball more as he gets healthier and more used to the system.
Ross is also dynamic on punt returns and hopes the Beaver Stadium crowd gets a chance to see him take one to the house.

Oscar Orellana: Sure, Ross made a stellar play on his 42-yard touchdown catch against FIU, but to say he’s the best wide receiver on the team is outrageous.

First of all, the sample size to truly evaluate this new group is extremely small. It’s been two games, folks. And if we’re basing this solely on those two games, then Hudson is the best receiver on the team. His performance in week one felt like Penn State finally cracked the code at the position. His strong connection with Drew Allar was very apparent against Nevada.

No matter who we throw around as the best receiver, though, it’s still just way too early to truly put a name to that title. Let the offense settle a bit more and battle some tougher competition before we start labeling these guys.

Cooper Cazares: It’s still early to really get a feel for the pecking order of the wide receiver room. Despite this, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say Ross could be the No. 1 option by the end of the season; we just don’t know how good he could be yet. I still like Hudson to be the most productive receiver out of the group, but there’s still plenty of time to figure out who will be WR1 by the end of the season.

Drew Allar Is Average At Best

Collin Ward: This take is so funny and only from people who don’t watch a lot of football. Drew Allar is special; he has the intangibles, and he has one of the best arms in the country. I think he goes underrated because he is still a little raw and can miss some throws.

When Allar is playing his best ball, he’s the best in the country. I just want to see him take the next step in terms of game management and using his experience to lead the team. The days of the COVID quarterback are over. Allar is one of the more experienced guys in the country. It’s time for him to prove it.

Oscar Orellana: Yeah, this is just wrong. So what if he had an off game against FIU? It happens. There are new receivers, so many offensive rotations, and a little bit of uncertainty at tight end after Tyler Warren’s safety valve left for the NFL. Allar is a great quarterback and is the glue that keeps Penn State together. Everybody has off days.

Cooper Cazares: This is blasphemy. Allar has been solid for the Nittany Lions since gaining the starting role. According to Franklin, the quarterback improved his game this offseason for a great year. Allar has all of the intangibles to be the best quarterback in the country and a bona fide first-round draft pick in the NFL Draft. Although he misses some throws, here and there, I expect Allar to reach new heights with his new and improved supporting cast at the receiver position.

Penn State Will Be Embarrassed By Oregon In The Whiteout

Collin Ward: No. This is going to be a really close game and should be the closest thing to a playoff game anywhere around the country all year. The atmosphere and the teams will make it a huge matchup. I know it’s Penn State’s first test of the year, but I expect the Nittany Lions to take the proper steps and make this a close contest.

I will say, Oregon looks way better than originally thought, but that does not mean they are a better team than Penn State.

Oscar Orellana: Franklin attributed Penn State’s lack of dominant showings in the two opening games to the amount of rotations going on both on offense and defense. The coaching staff is ensuring that the young guys get some experience in these non-conference games before the true starters let it all out against Big Ten competition.

So no, Penn State will not get blown out by Oregon. Penn State is tweaking everything and assessing all options specifically for when the Ducks come to town. There’s no shot Penn State gets splattered in possibly the first-ever top-five White Out in one of the program’s most anticipated seasons in history when Oregon comes to town.

Cooper Cazares: This is a reach. Not only will it be electric in Beaver Stadium with the annual Whiteout, but Penn State looks to prove that this is its year. The Ducks will be the first real test for the Nittany Lions, making this as close to the feeling of a College Football Playoff game as possible. I expect this matchup to be close, but Penn State cannot afford to start slow against Oregon.