College football Week 10: Penn State’s Allar tops list of ailing QBs in games involving Top 25 teams

By ERIC OLSON The Associated Press

Penn State's Drew Allar (15) throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against the WisconsinSaturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Morry Gash]

Quarterback health is among the major Week 10 storylines for games involving Top 25 teams.

Penn State coach James Franklin said Drew Allar’s availability might not be known until game time of Saturday’s matchup between the No. 3 Nittany Lions and No. 4 Ohio State in Happy Valley.

Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said he was in wait-and-see mode with Eli Holstein for the No. 18 Panthers’ game at No. 20 SMU, and the Mustangs’ Kevin Jennings is questionable with an undisclosed injury.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said he was optimistic Kurtis Rourke will return for the No. 13 Hoosiers’ game at Michigan State.

Texas Tech’s Behren Morton is questionable for the Red Raiders’ game at No. 11 Iowa State, which will be trying to go 8-0 for the first time in program history.

Michigan’s situation for its home game against No. 1 Oregon got clarity Monday when Jack Tuttle announced he was giving up football following a fifth concussion. Davis Warren will make his second straight start and fifth of the season.

Allar injured his left knee in last week’s win at Wisconsin and did not play the second half. Beau Pribula, who led Penn State to a 28-13 win, would get the start if Allar can’t play.

Holtstein left Pitt’s win over Syracuse with an undisclosed injury. Nate Yarnell, who started two games last season, replaced Holstein and would be the starter against SMU if Holstein is out. Jennings was hurt late in SMU’s overtime win at Duke.

Rourke injured the thumb on his right (throwing) hand against Nebraska two weeks ago. He had surgery and missed last week’s game against Washington with Tayven Smith playing in his place.

Morton hurt his left shoulder in the first half against TCU and was replaced by freshman Will Hammond.

Best game

No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) at No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0), Saturday, noon ET (Fox)

Franklin has an Ohio State problem. The Buckeyes have beaten the Nittany Lions seven straight times, and in three of those seasons it marked Penn State’s first loss (2017, 2018, 2023).

Penn State is the higher-ranked team for the first time since 2017 and, based on the second half against Wisconsin, feels good about its chances even if Allar can’t play.

Ohio State is coming off a one-point loss at Oregon and a flat performance in last week’s 21-17 home win over Nebraska. The Buckeyes have injury and performance issues on the left side of the offensive line, and the running game is struggling.

Until Penn State clears the Ohio State obstacle — and with Allar’s status unknown — the bettors are going with the Buckeyes. BetMGM Sportsbook lists Ohio State as a 3 1/2-point favorite.

Heisman watch

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel has moved to the top of the BetMGM Sportsbook list of Heisman Trophy candidates with 12-to-5 odds, and he and the top-ranked Ducks have outscored their last two opponents 73-9 entering its game at Michigan on Saturday.

Gabriel threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in last week’s 38-9 win over Illinois. He has completed a nation-leading 76.2% of his passes for 296.4 yards per game. More big numbers are possible. Michigan’s pass defense isn’t as stingy as its recent iterations.

Numbers to know

2 — FBS teams that have not trailed in a game (Indiana, Army).

3 — Georgia’s consecutive wins over Florida by 20-plus points entering their game in Jacksonville, Florida.

4 — San Diego State’s consecutive games decided by three points or less, matching the longest streak in the FBS since 2016.

7 — Middle Tennessee’s starting offensive line combinations, most in the nation.

13-1 — Tulane’s road record since 2022 entering its game at Charlotte.

Under the radar

Louisiana-Monroe (5-2, 3-1 Sun Belt) at Marshall (4-3, 2-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

This feels like a pivotal game for first-year coach Bryant Vincent and his ULM Warhawks, whose 5-1 start was the best in their 30 years as an FBS program. Last week’s 46-17 loss at South Alabama was a gut punch, and now they go on the road to play a Marshall team that’s 4-0 at home.

The Warhawks’ only winning FBS season was 2012. Since then ULM is 46-92, and only six teams have lost more games. Terry Bowden was 10-26 overall and 5-19 in the Sun Belt from 2021-23.

ULM would be bowl-eligible with a win over Marshall and remain in the thick of the Sun Belt race. A loss makes things dicey with the remaining schedule made up of opponents even or ahead of the Warhawks in the league, plus a game at Auburn.

Hot seat

The Trent Dilfer experiment at UAB might be winding down. The 52-year-old is 5-14 in his second year as a college coach.

UAB passed over Vincent, who took the Blazers to a bowl as interim coach in 2022, to hire the Super Bowl-champion quarterback and successful Tennessee high school coach. The problem was Dilfer had no coaching or recruiting experience at this level.

The Blazers are 1-6 entering Saturday’s home game against Tulsa, the only win coming against Alcorn State of the FCS. One of his four wins last season was against FCS team North Carolina AT&T.

Dilfer’s contract runs through the 2027. He would be owed $3.6 million if he gets fired after this season.

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