Penn State football is 14 days away from playing No. 4 Oregon in its first real test of the season. The Ducks have slaughtered their first opponents, to say the least. Oregon beat its first three opponents by an aggregate score of 162-30.

Penn State has found similar success against lesser opponents, beating Villanova 52-6 on Saturday. Are the Nittany Lions ready, though? After all, James Franklin is 1-15 against top-five teams and 4-20 against top-10 teams in his tenure at Penn State.

For starters, the defense is going to need to continue to play well. Oregon’s explosive play rate on the ground is 17.1% and jumps up to 20% through the air. With that said, Penn State has Jim Knowles running the ship, one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. The question will be if he has the defense fully installed by week five.

“We’ve had a lot of installs,” Tony Rojas said. “It slowed down when the season started, everybody’s getting more confident, and I feel like that’s what’s making us play faster.”

The boost in confidence has been evident with the defense only allowing 17 points through three games, 14 of which came in garbage time with starters on the bench. The impressive play begins with the front four, which, despite question marks, has controlled the flow of the game.

As cornerback Elliot Washington II said after Penn State’s win over Villanova, the defense forces the ball to get out. Even when rushing four, constant pressure on the quarterback means opportunities for players, such as Washington, to get the ball. Penn State has four interceptions through three games.

Another positive the Nittany Lions have going for them is the sheer number of players who have seen the field. While Penn State’s easy schedule to start the year has been questioned, it’s allowed the younger players to get significant reps.

“I wouldn’t say us playing a lot of guys is a problem,” Washington said. “I feel like everyone’s going to get a rep, everyone’s going to get a chance. So I feel like everyone who’s been thrown in knows the standard and knows what needs to be done.”

The extra reps have been especially important for breakout defensive end Chaz Coleman. The true freshman was relatively quiet on the stat sheet against Villanova, but did a great job filling the gaps on the defensive line when needed.

“You guys are starting to see what we saw at camp,” Franklin said after Penn State’s week two win over FIU. “…He wasn’t even here for spring ball, so I think you’re going to just continue to take significant strides. But he’s quick, he’s twitchy, he’s athletic.”

The linebacker rotation has also utilized the out-of-conference games to work out the kinks. UNC transfer Amare Campbell and Dom Deluca are splitting reps with the green dot, while Rojas takes the role as the will linebacker.

Because of new NCAA rules, only one player can have communication with the coaches at a time. This forces Deluca and Campbell to switch helmets throughout the game, something that caused trouble in the season opener against Nevada.

“I thought our defense significantly took a step this week, just more confidence, more command, more control. Especially from our safeties and linebackers, who are kind of running the show,” Franklin said.

Now with a bye week at their disposal, the Penn State staff has time to install the rest of the defense needed to beat a team as talented as Oregon.

If the Nittany Lions are to take down Oregon, though, the offense also has to be firing on all cylinders. The Ducks have averaged 54 points per game to open 2025. While Penn State won’t have to put up that many on September 27, if the offense can’t stay with Oregon’s explosive power, it won’t win.

Similar to the defense, the entire unit has gotten the chance to play to start the 2025 season. This is especially important for an offensive line operating in a seven-deep system.

“I love competition. I love trying to prove myself every single day. So for me, it’s not a problem at all,” Anthony Donkoh said. “I’m pretty sure for the guys, it’s not a problem as well. Having seven guys that you can be able to rotate in and out, and just keep guys fresh, is going to be very helpful throughout the season.”

Donkoh also made it clear that despite the number of guys rotating into the line, there hasn’t been a hit to the chemistry. That sentiment was shared by tight end Luke Reynolds, who has also been rotating with others at the position.

“We’re just focused on getting better as a whole group, you know, going into the bye week, taking a real advantage of it,” Reynolds said. “As a tight end group, always believe that we’re the best in the nation.”

Reynolds finished the game with four receptions for 73 yards, leading the tight ends. He and Khalil Dinkins have been getting the majority of the snaps at the position. The Ducks have proven in the past that a tight end could be the key to unlock their defense. In last season’s Big Ten championship game, Tyler Warren had seven catches for 84 yards. Dinkins also recorded a catch.

Another piece of the puzzle is the quarterback play from both sides. Oregon starter Dante Moore will be playing in his first true away game in the White Out. While he played at Northwestern this week, the Wildcats are still playing in a temporary stadium.

Drew Allar will also have to perform after throwing his first interception of the season against Villanova. In last year’s matchup with the Ducks, he had one of the best games of his career, throwing for 226 yards and three touchdowns.