Penn State vs. Ole Miss: Final thoughts on how the Nittany Lions can build momentum for 2024

Penn State will close out the 2023 season Saturday afternoon against Ole Miss. The Nittany Lions will take on the Rebels in Atlanta in the Peach Bowl in the first matchup between the programs. Here are some final thoughts and predictions ahead of the Nittany Lions’ matchup with Ole Miss.

Replacing NFL-bound players

Penn State already knows it will be without defensive end Chop Robinson in the Peach Bowl, and several other players could still opt out or be on limited snap counts. Cornerbacks Johnny Dixon and Kalen King have yet to announce their decisions, while offensive tackle Olu Fashanu said he will travel to the game but did not say whether he would play. It’s not a guarantee that any of the three play, and that would mean Penn State would be without three of its best defensive players and its best offensive player, should they not take part.

The replacements for each should be a good glimpse into what each position will look like next year. The answer at defensive end should be obvious, with Dani Dennis-Sutton stepping into a full-time role while Amin Vanover, Jameial Lyons and Zuriah Fisher see an increase in their workloads. The same is true at left tackle, where Drew Shelton should get a full workload in preparation of being next year’s starter. Cornerback is more up in the air, with Cam Miller almost assuredly taking one spot on the outside. Daequan Hardy could bump outside from his nickel spot Saturday, but he’s also leaving after this season. If he stays inside, Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington II are primed to take plenty of reps on the outside. Those two both have a good chance to play heavy snaps next season and potentially start.

Building offensive momentum

I don’t think anything is more important in this game than getting the offense in a good spot to end the season. This had the makings of a lost year for a lot of the Nittany Lions’ young pieces until Penn State head coach James Franklin decided to fire Mike Yurcich as offensive coordinator. In the two games since that happened, the group has looked more cohesive and put together a great performance in the regular season finale against Michigan State.

Now it’s on co-offensive coordinators Ty Howle and Ja’Juan Seider to keep that rolling. Ole Miss has a good defense but not an elite one, and the Nittany Lions should be able to move the ball in the air and on the ground. They should prioritize something Franklin has emphasized in the past — getting Allar in rhythm by getting him some easy throws early. Once they do that, it’ll open things up for some of the deep shots the offense was missing for most of the season and should allow Allar to show off his arm. That and continuing to build the connection with his receivers are going to help more than anything else on Saturday as the team heads into next year.

Can a receiver step up?

Penn State has been in need of wide receivers to step up all season, and this is the last chance for one to do so. I’ve been a believer that Dante Cephas is the best receiver on the roster, and he’s set to return next year as the potential top pass-catcher on the roster. That could change with potential transfer portal additions but, for now, this is an important opportunity for him. He’s started to come on as the season has wound down and he’s adjusted to playing in the Big Ten after beginning his career at Kent State.

He remains the most likely breakout candidate in the bowl game, but he’s not the only one. Younger players such as Kaden Saunders and Omari Evans have flashed at times during the regular season but haven’t put together a complete performance or proven to be a reliable option for Allar and the Nittany Lions. KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who has yet to announce whether he will return to the program next season, remains one of Allar’s top targets, too, but he may be at his best if he’s a secondary option and not forced to be the top target in the offense. There is — and has been all year — a large group of receivers with the opportunity to break through. But this is their last chance to take advantage before any potential additions are made in the offseason.

Final predictions

Penn State 27, Ole Miss 24: I don’t know that this will be the Penn State defense everyone is used to seeing with Chop Robinson out and other potential draftees potentially being on snap counts. That being said, the offense has been significantly better since Yurcich was fired in November, and I expect that to continue against an Ole Miss defense that is good, not great. I’d expect this to be a great game that comes down to the wire, with the defense getting an important stop to win it.

MVP: Drew Allar. The offensive improvement has come with the team’s sophomore quarterback looking increasingly comfortable. Allar has all of the talent he needs to be an elite passer, and this game has a chance to serve as a launching point for him. I’ll say Allar throws for 310 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over in the win.

The last word

Penn State head coach James Franklin on conversations with players about opting out of the bowl game:

“I do think there’s a ton of value in finishing what you started, and there’s a lot of ways to do that. I think we’re very aware of what’s going on in college football. We’re very aware of some of the trends. We’re very aware of the advice that some of the players are getting. But I also think through relationships there’s the ability to have a conversation, an open conversation with the players, with their parents, and make sure that guys are making the right decisions for them and their futures.

Sometimes I think there’s a feeling like what’s in their best interest and what’s in Penn State’s best interest don’t always align, and I think more times than not, it really does. There are some cases, obviously, like we’ve had all the way back to Saquon Barkley, who was being projected as a first-round draft choice and was being advised to not play in the Fiesta Bowl — and sat and met with Saquon and talked it all through and we had a plan to limit his reps and all those types of things, and it worked out really well in everybody’s best interest. I think all the information that’s out there, and the data that’s out there, is playing an opponent like Ole Miss in this type of venue for the majority of our players; playing in this game and playing well is going to increase their value and increase their opportunities and draft grades and things like that. For us, I just want to make sure that we’re thoughtful and that we’re looking at things from both sides. I think that’s something that’s very, very important to do in my position really, and really in any real situation, I think it’s always important to look at things from multiple perspectives.”