It’s White Out weekend, folks.

There’s nothing quite like a night game in Happy Valley; however, this particular game is different. On Saturday night, No. 3 Penn State is taking on the No. 6-ranked Oregon Ducks in a Big Ten Championship rematch in the patented White Out game.

The Penn State football program has been notoriously bad in big games, with James Franklin being 4-20 against AP top-10 opponents since taking over as the Nittany Lions’ head coach. Will this be the year Penn State gets over the hump? The Penn State faithful are hoping for this year to be different than the rest, a feeling that stays true within most of our staff’s predictions.

Fernando Martinez Ruiz De Esparza (3-0): Penn State 31, Oregon 28

Folks, we are in for a thrilling White Out on Saturday night.

This game will be the highest-ranked White Out matchup in its storied history, and it will not disappoint. Despite the blowouts, Penn State’s offense has not looked that good. It has struggled to get off to fast starts, and Drew Allar has been subpar with a QBR of 38.8. That ranks 107th in the FBS, so he’s going to have to be elite if the Nittany Lions are going to win this game. The good news is that Penn State has a lot of offensive weapons, unlike last year, to compete against Oregon’s defense, and its defense is elite enough to slow down Oregon’s high-powered offense. The Nittany Lions are also coming off a bye week, so they have had more time to prepare for this showdown and are better rested.

As for Oregon, it has all the elements to win this game. It has a very mobile quarterback in Dante Moore, who has thrown 11 passing touchdowns and has a QBR of 83.7. Just like Penn State, it has a lot of offensive weapons and an elite defense. The Ducks have been more battle-tested than the Nittany Lions heading into this game, having to play decent opponents like Northwestern and Oregon State, unlike the Nittany Lions. While this is the first real test for both teams, Oregon is more prepared to take on higher-quality opponents than Penn State right now. So, the logic is that Oregon should win this game.

However, this is the freaking White Out. The Penn State fans will be ready to be as loud as possible and will play a huge role in helping Penn State win this game. I think the Nittany Lions crush their demons and win this game in front of a raucous White Out crowd.

Michael Siroty (1-0): Penn State 23, Oregon 17

This one will be a battle, and it’ll take until the last snap to know who’s winning this game. However, in the end, that’ll be Penn State. I see Kaytron Allen having a big week for the Nittany Lions, and the defense playing solid. I think Oregon receiver Dakorien Moore will give the secondary some trouble, but not enough to win it. Give me Penn State.

Liv Pulak (0-0): Penn State 38, Oregon 35

Happy White Out! This week’s game is expected to be one of the best of the season. With Penn State facing the Ducks this weekend, there is going to be tension and high stakes. Two Big Ten teams, one is ranked No. 2, and the other is No. 6 nationally. White Out energy is unlike any other and after watching what Oregon can bring to the field, there are some things to cover.

Coach Dan Lanning tends to bring good leadership to his role, creating a disciplined team with a competitive nature. His strategic execution with the ball will provide an intense game this Saturday. Oregon’s offensive line is powerful, with quarterback Dante Moore having enough time to throw some big plays.

Of course, with Penn State, there is a bias; however, why wouldn’t the Nittany Lions bring in another W? Coach James Franklin has boasted a strong record of 104-42 in his career. How many people do you see drafted to the NFL proudly saying they are an alum? Quarterback Drew Allar has led offensively in an impressive manner, and we don’t want to talk about the fear our opponents feel when Dani Dennis-Sutton takes the field. 2024 was an exciting year, with the Nittany Lions showing their true potential. Every player acts as a blueprint, and that blueprint will lead the Nittany Lions to go 4-0 this weekend.

Cadyn Gill (3-0): Oregon 27, Penn State 23

Penn State’s first loss of the 2025 season will unfortunately come in the White Out against Oregon.

As much as it hurts to pick the Ducks, Drew Allar and the offense have not shown nearly enough progression from last season, despite the influx of offensive talent that has poured into Happy Valley, particularly in the receiver room. Allar still struggles with his accuracy as a passer and an erratic internal clock.

In addition to the struggling passing attack, Oregon’s defensive line, led by Matayo Uiagalelei, presents a tough matchup for a Penn State offensive line that has struggled against lesser competition.

Kaytron Allen has been dominant on the ground, but Nick Singleton has not. I expect that trend to continue with the trenches becoming even tighter against Oregon.

While I’m confident that seasoned defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will have this defensive unit prepared for a big-time matchup, containing Dante Moore without Abdul Carter will be extremely difficult. Time will tell; I fear Penn State’s defense lacks a standout defensive player needed to extinguish the Ducks’ star power on offense.

Michael Zeno (3-0): Penn State 31, Oregon 28

This is a really tough game to pick. Oregon has looked almost unstoppable so far, and Penn State has had to work out a bunch of kinks against a soft non-conference schedule. You look under the hood, however, and the advantage switches hands.

For one, Oregon State and Oklahoma State, who both got creamed by Oregon, argue to be among the worst Power Five-ish teams in the nation. Northwestern isn’t far behind, as they’re likely going to be in the Big Ten’s basement this year. They might all be better than who Penn State played, but it’s not by much.

The No. 1 reason I think Penn State pulls it out is the White Out vs. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. In his entire career, the most hostile road environment he faced was Utah in 2023. After that? Stanford or Arizona.

He has never faced anywhere close to the white noise he will face in Happy Valley on Saturday, and that will stagger the powerful Ducks offense long enough for Drew Allar to imitate what he did in Indianapolis last December and pull off the victory.

Jason Perry (0-0): Penn State 31, Oregon 22

I think this game will be a defensive battle that Penn State will eventually come out on top of. While Penn State’s offense has struggled, the defense has looked outstanding through the first three games of the season. I expect Oregon to punt multiple times and kick multiple field goals. The Ducks are too good a team not to get a touchdown or two, but the stout Penn State defense will keep their score low. On the other hand, Oregon’s defense hasn’t looked quite as good as in 2024, but the Penn State offense has looked stagnant.

Meanwhile, the Oregon defense hasn’t looked quite as good as Penn State’s, but the Penn State offense has been lackluster so far. Oregon is a bigger test for this Penn State offense than anything they’ve faced so far, but I expect them to rise to the challenge. I don’t think they will blow them out of the water, but three or four touchdowns and a field goal or two should be enough to earn the win as long as the Nittany Lion defense can hold Oregon’s offense back. Penn State has also seemingly been running a limited playbook in its non-conference matchups. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a completely different look for this Penn State offense as they enter conference play.

Jamie Lynch (3-0): Penn State 28, Oregon 24

Run the damn ball. Feed Kaytron. Blitz, State, blitz.

There are few games that I truly have no idea what will happen. This is one of those instances. I take comfort in the fact that Oregon’s strong suit is its offense, as I am most confident in Penn State’s defensive talent. That being said, Dakorien Moore and Kenyon Sadiq do scare me, but I think Jim Knowles will have a scheme ready to limit explosive plays.

I also really think Penn State needs to rely heavily on the run game. In the Big Ten Championship, the Nittany Lions rushed for 297 combined yards against the Ducks. Give the majority of touches to the hot hand in Kaytron Allen and hope Nick Singleton can find holes and break out. I am curious to see what Andy Kotelnicki has in his bag of tricks this weekend.

When all is said and done, the White Out crowd is going to be the biggest difference maker. Give me the blue and white. Nittany Lions win in a thriller.

Jacob Zacharia (0-0): Oregon 13, Penn State 10

Jim Knowles’ defense makes Oregon struggle, but Drew Allar’s offense can’t get going, resulting in an upset at the White Out.

CJ Gill (3-0): Penn State 31, Oregon 24

James Franklin finally gets it done and wins the big one. The White Out crowd will be in full force on Saturday and the Ducks will make too many mistakes in the end to leave Happy Valley with a victory. 

Penn State has the experience advantage, and Drew Allar will make just enough winning plays to get things done alongside a powerful running game. Jim Knowles will create too many exotic looks on defense, and the high-powered Ducks offense won’t have enough time to make adjustments. Oregon scores a touchdown late to close the gap, but Penn State puts the country on notice this weekend with a big-time win under the Beaver Stadium lights.

Jayla Nartatez (0-0): Penn State 27, Oregon 21

Penn State has been preparing for this game, and I think they learned a lot about the Oregon team during the Big Ten Championship game. If they stay focused and play well, I believe that the end will reflect this score. Hopefully, the Nittany Lions will pull through and take the win.

Jack Anderson-Jussen (0-0): Oregon 21, Penn State 17

This is debatably one of the biggest games the Nittany Lions will play all year, and it’s my belief that if history is to repeat itself, James Franklin will once again fail to rise to the occasion. While I would LOVE to see the Nittany Lions come up big for a White Out win, I have to face the fact that James Franklin doesn’t win big games, and this year, I don’t expect that to change. It’s for these reasons I believe the Oregon Ducks will edge out the Penn State Nittany Lions 21-17.

Oscar Orellana (3-0): Penn State 30, Oregon 27

I think this has nail-biter written all over it. There will be a key turnover in the fourth quarter that’ll really define the whole outcome of the game. I expect the Penn State offense to correct the faults we saw in the first three weeks of the season, but the sheer talent on Oregon’s side will definitely cause Penn State a lot of frustration.

However, I’m choosing to be optimistic. The scope of this White Out is almost unlike any we’ve ever seen before. I think the Nittany Lions ultimately have what it takes to solidify themselves as a college football frontrunner with a win over the Ducks on Saturday.

Cooper Cazares (3-0): Penn State 28, Oregon 24

Oh boy, here we go again. Each year, it breaks my heart to see these games because year in and year out, it’s the same story with James Franklin. The notion that Penn State doesn’t win big games is completely warranted. I find myself wondering if any year will be Penn State’s year.

Well, I predicted an undefeated season. I’m locking in that prediction for the rest of the year. I’m staying committed. This is the year of Allar. The year of Kaytron. The year of Nick the Quick. This is Penn State’s time. The Nittany Lions win in an instant classic AND cover in the White Out. #NittsToTheNatty #RunTheDamnBall #EnoughIsEnough