NFL evaluators are licking their chops after Drew Allar’s near-perfect first half in the Fiesta Bowl

Even after a lightning-fast start and a 14-0 first-quarter lead, Penn State only took a 17-7 lead into halftime in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Boise State on Tuesday night. Mistakes, penalties, an Abdul Carter injury, a Drew Allar fumble, and dropped passes stalled the Nittany Lion’s early momentum, but that hasn’t stopped the Allar NFL hype train from chugging along on social media. 

Mere hours after Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula announced he was departing the team and entering the transfer portal, the news broke that Allar, a 2021 five-star high school recruit, intends to return to Happy Valley for his senior season in 2025. However, he still has time to change his mind, and if he continues to play well on the big stage of the CFP, the Nittany Lions could lose both of their quarterbacks this offseason. 

Allar finished the first half 10/17 for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and despite a bad fumble on a faulty exchange with running back Nicholas Singelton, the junior QB was stellar. His second touchdown pass was a 38-yard dime to wide receiver Omari Evans, one of the best throws of his Penn State career, and on the Nittany Lion’s final field goal drive before halftime, he made a few more excellent passes, though, most weren’t hauled in. 

On that drive, Evans failed to reel in a touchdown on an excellent throw to the front left pylon, Harrison Wallace III dropped a touchdown in the back of the end zone, and even Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren failed to hang onto a dart that Allar fit in over tight coverage that would have gone for a first down and possibly another score. 

Though those throws don’t count on the traditional stat sheet, Pro Football Focus factors them into their grades. According to PFF’s college football analyst Max Chadwick, Allar would already have four “big-time throws” in the first half. He’s recorded 16 BTTs all season. 

Allar is still likely to return, but with play like this, he’ll continue to climb up draft boards. Still, priority No. 1 for Allar and his Nittany Lions is advancing in the CFP.