James Franklin was full of joy as he walked off the field and into the locker room after a 33-30 win at USC last weekend. And he should be. Penn State is 6-0 and ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll. If the Nittany Lions win the remaining games they should win, all signs point to a College Football Playoff debut, even if they lose at home to Ohio State on November 2nd.

After a bye week, Penn State will play six more regular-season games before a committee decides the program's playoff fate. Everything about the Nittany Lions' qualification as a playoff team, but also their placement in the 12-team format, will be discussed. The good, the bad, the ugly – everything.

What did we learn about this year's Penn State team midway through the season?

The good:

Allar and Kotelnicki were there for each other

There was no bigger question mark in the offseason. Quarterback Drew Allar's performance in his second season as a starter and his improvement under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki were always going to be the difference in 2024. Through six games, Kotelnicki's system seems to be working perfectly, not just for Allar, but the entire offense as well.

Lack of explosiveness was ultimately the Nittany Lions' biggest weakness in an oh-so-close 10-3 season in 2023. With Kotelnicki now on board, this area has arguably become the team's biggest selling point.

Penn State ranks 7th nationally with 7.1 yards per game, a statistic that underscores the growth Allar, his receivers and running backs have made in generating big plays under Kotelnicki. Even when faced with adversity, Allar didn't back down, and neither did Kotelnicki, who reached deep into his bag of tricks no matter the score or the situation.

Warren's best TE in the nation

It's no longer an argument. Tyler Warren is the best tight end in the country. And so far, he has been Kotelnicki's greatest offensive weapon. Warren has snapped, run, thrown and caught the ball this season. It is the ultimate cheat code that seems to outdo itself in every game. He literally broke his own record for receiving yards by a Penn State tight end with 224 yards against the Trojans.

The Nittany Lions' wide receivers have improved under Kotelnicki's leadership, but they haven't been overwhelming. However, that wasn't really necessary because Warren is the team's actual No. 1 receiver despite being a tight end.

Defense in the third quarter

There is no better team in the country when it comes to keeping opposing offenses in check in the third quarter. Like at USC or against Bowling Green, there were times when the Nittany Lions needed room for a comeback early in the second half. And the defense, led by new coordinator Tom Allen, has provided just that spark.

That's not to say Allen's defense hasn't had problems at times, because it certainly has, at least more than any other unit under previous defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. But just this past weekend, Penn State allowed a point in the third quarter of 2024, and that's one of the main reasons the team remains undefeated despite the scares early in the game.

Singleton's regained explosiveness

For some reason, running back Nick Singleton didn't have nearly the same explosiveness in 2023 as he did the year before as a true freshman. Under Kotelnicki, the dominant Singleton has returned to form. Singleton has rushed for 434 yards and scored six total touchdowns in five games this year and is currently third in the Big Ten with 6.9 yards per carry.

Singleton's influence is obvious. Penn State rushed for a season-low 85 yards against UCLA, a game that Singleton missed due to injury. Perhaps not fully healthy against the Trojans last weekend, Singleton rushed for a season-low 26 yards, putting more pressure on the passing offense to carry the weight.

It's clear that if the Nittany Lions want to win big, they need their star running back to play like he did in the first four games of the year.

The Bad:

Slow starts

Penn State found a way to finish each of its six games, but slow starts took a toll on the team and caused things to be closer than they needed to be. The Nittany Lions have gone into halftime with a lead just three times this year, having outscored both USC and Bowling Green and tied with Illinois at the break.

They also finished the first quarter scoreless and tied against West Virginia and UCLA.

Kotelnicki's system has improved an otherwise struggling offense compared to last season, but Penn State still ranks 90th in the country with an average of four first-quarter points per game. Similar to 2016, the Nittany Lions are establishing themselves as a second-half team. But that has to change if they want to beat the Buckeyes.

Injuries

Penn State was the second-most injured team in the Big Ten two weeks ago, according to the conference's availability report. Football is a very physical game and injuries do happen, but the high number hurt the Nittany Lions for six games.

There is no injury that stands out more than the one injury suffered by Kevin Winston Jr. on September 7th against Bowling Green. Winston was arguably the team's best defensive player and his absence has wreaked havoc on an already thin safety room. Jaylen Reed, who was held at nickel corner, is back at safety, where he and Zakee Wheatley have played a lot.

In addition to Winston, tight end Andrew Rappleyea and running back Cam Wallace also suffered “long-term injuries.” Kaden Saunders, the team's starting punt returner for the first four games of the year, has missed the last two games due to injury and was previously not healthy enough to play at his traditional position, wide receiver.

As mentioned, Singleton has missed time, as has starting linebacker Dominic DeLuca, whose snaps have been limited since his return against the Bruins on Oct. 5.

The third linebacker

Kobe King has excelled this season, not just in stats, but as the vocal quarterback of the defense that Franklin so desperately needed. Next to him, Tony Rojas did his job, but the other linebacker spot was a revolving door that emerged as the defense's biggest question mark entering the second half of the year.

DeLuca's role as a leader cannot be understated, both on defense and on special teams. But in six games, he struggled, both when healthy and after returning from injury. According to Pro Football Focus, DeLuca currently has a defensive grade of 61 – the lowest of any defensive starter.

Tyler Elsdon, who has shared snaps with DeLuca all year, struggled even more. Elsdon clearly lacked the speed he needed to consistently stop strong offenses and missed tackles that his defense demanded of him. In the second half of the year, Franklin and Allen may want to consider giving more playing time to DaKaari Nelson, Ta'Mere Robinson or Anthony Speca.