On Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the scene was one of dejection for Penn State. Coach James Franklin walked off the field with his daughters, while offensive lineman Vega Ioane lingered. The Nittany Lions had just suffered a 45 - 37 loss to top-ranked Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Penn State's Missed Opportunity in the Big Ten Title Game

Offensive Struggles and Spectacular Moments

The Nittany Lions had a chance to make a national statement by beating a No. 1 team for the first time since 1990. They rushed for an outrageous 292 yards, averaging 8.3 yards per attempt. However, they often found themselves behind, facing an 18 - point deficit and a 15 - point deficit. Each time they fought back, Oregon countered just enough. It was a tale of offensive struggles and spectacular moments. 1: The Nittany Lions' offensive line, led by Vega Ioane, had their moments but couldn't hold up against Oregon's F1 offense. They outgained Oregon 518 - 466 but committed two turnovers, the last being a phenomenal interception by Oregon's Nikko Reed. This effectively ended the game and was a moment that captured Penn State's night. 2: Despite the offensive struggles, the Nittany Lions showed their fighting spirit. They battled back from the deficits and brought the game within one possession multiple times. But in the end, Oregon's talent and ability to counter proved too much.

Coaching Decisions and Player Frustration

The coaching staff faced some criticism for their decisions. Coach Franklin defended his decision to go for a 2 - point conversion down by eight points in the second half, citing it as a path to winning in regulation. However, the play itself, a reverse option pass with tight end Tyler Warren trying to throw to Allar, didn't go as planned. 1: Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, holding a pizza box, walked into the waiting arms of former Penn State offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne, consoling the players. The frustration was palpable, even in Franklin's postgame media session. 2: Quarterback Drew Allar, who made some elite throws but was also intercepted twice, desperately wanted the ball back after the interception on a deep route to Trey Wallace with 2 minutes remaining. He said, "I saw him [Reed] hold and not get any depth and tried to give Trey a chance. I've got to do a better job of [Wallace] or nobody."

Playoff Hopes and Resumé

Once Oregon's band music stopped reverberating, Franklin made his case for why Penn State should get a higher - seeded home game. The Nittany Lions will be competing with Texas, Notre Dame, and Ohio State for placement among the 5 - 8 host seeds for the first round of the College Football Playoff. 1: Penn State is fairly certain it will host a first - round game on December 20 or 21 at Beaver Stadium. But Franklin sought to remind the selection committee about his team's resumé. They lost by one possession to the No. 1 team and earlier in the season to the No. 3 team. 2: Cornerback AJ Harris said, "I feel like we proved to the country that we definitely belonged. We just have to finish these ballgames at this point." The Nittany Lions will now wait anxiously to see where they land in the playoff seeding.