Penn State Football rolled into the second bye week of the season 6-0 firmly inside the playoff picture for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
However, as the schedule gets more difficult for Penn State in the remaining six games of the season, the Nittany Lions will have to find a way to keep getting better each week to avoid blemishing their undefeated record.
To do so, Penn State will rely on a few key veteran playmakers in all three phases of the game to push them to the first College Football Playoff birth in school history.
Here are the six players that are the most important for Penn State’s playoff push through the next six or seven games:
No. 6 – Ryan Barker
Ryan Barker solved Penn State’s kicking problems in a hurry after relieving Sander Sahaydak of placekicking duties after four games this season.
In the Nittany Lions’ past two games since taking over as the primary placekicker, Barker is a perfect six for six on field goals and eight for eight on extra points in two games, including kicking the game-winner in overtime against USC in the Coliseum last Saturday.
If the Nittany Lions want to make a push for the playoff, they will likely be involved in a few more close games similar to the USC game last Saturday. In those games, the kicking game could play a major factor in winning or losing as the Nittany Lions cannot afford to leave points on the field. Barker has been excellent so far and the Nittany Lions will hope that he continues that form for the rest of the season.
No. 5 – Tyler Warren
What else can be said about Tyler Warren than has already been said?
Warren has been a major weapon for Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, as the creative coordinator finds new ways to utilize the high school quarterback turned elite tight end weekly. Warren had a career day against USC breaking Penn State records and tying an FBS record, launching him into the Heisman race.
While Warren may not be able to keep up the same production for the rest of the season as defenses key in on him, the extra attention on Warren will help open up the rest of the Nittany Lions offense.
No. 4 – Nick Singleton
Penn State fans saw exactly how much value Nick Singleton brings to the Penn State running game and the Penn State offense as a whole when he missed the UCLA game with an injury.
Without Singleton in the lineup the Nittany Lions struggled to run the ball, rushing for only 85 total yards and 2.8 yards per carry. Singleton’s explosiveness opens up the Nittany Lions offense and allows both Kaytron Allen and Singleton to thrive. Singleton scored the tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter against USC and will be a major factor in the second half for the Penn State offense.
No. 3 – Jaylen Reed
Jaylen Reed has been one of the best defenders on the field for Penn State since fellow safety KJ Winston went down with an injury against Bowling Green. Reed has thrived in both the traditional safety role and the new Lion position under defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
Reed leads the Nittany Lions in tackles this season and has recorded three tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Reed played every snap for the Penn State defense for two of the past three games. Penn State will continue to need him to step up and be the leader of the backfield of the defense to make a playoff run through the second half.
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No. 2 – Abdul Carter
Abdul Carter had a slow start to the season as he got used to the defensive end position with offsides penalties. However, in the past few games, Carter has been a gamewrecker, recording a sack in each of Penn State’s last four games and accumulating 8.5 tackles for a loss in that span.
Carter is a projected first-round pick in next April’s NFL draft and Penn State will need him to continue playing like it to make a push for the playoffs.
No. 1 – Drew Allar
Drew Allar has taken his game to a new level this season. Across the board, Allar’s numbers are up this season from completion percentage to yards per attempt to passing efficiency rating.
Allar is on pace to shatter both Penn State’s career completion percentage record and the FBS record for the lowest percentage of interceptions in a career. If Allar continues to play at this level for the rest of the season, Allar could both push Penn State into the playoff for the first time in program history, and also throw his name into the mix as a first-round pick in next April’s NFL draft.
Penn State and the Nittany Lions will face plenty of tests in the second half of the season, starting with heading on the road to a tough environment at Camp Randall. If the Nittany Lions make a playoff push in the second half of the season, chances are these six players will be key in determining just how far the Nittany Lions can go.
MORE: What We’ve Learned About Penn State Football Through Six Games
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