The Nittany Lions have dropped to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 following a crushing 30-24 double overtime loss to Oregon, and, shockingly, they have no remaining first-place votes. A lot was on the line for James Franklin going into the game, and unfortunately, the result was like his other outings against Top 10 opponents. Another loss to add to a horrible record. But it’s still Week 5. Penn State is 3-1, and the season is far from over. To add to that, they have Jim Knowles on the staff, who knows something about turning heartbreaking losses into a national championship.

When Ohio State played Michigan at home last year, the program was riding high on momentum. But Ryan Day’s team lost to a Wolverines side that had no offense throughout the season. A heartbreaking 10-13 defeat put a stop to any expectation for a deep playoff run. The entire team was called out, and the fans were literally baying for blood. Then the turnaround happened. Ohio State entered the playoffs and didn’t care who they were facing. Big 10 champions, SEC teams, or the juggernaut that was Notre Dame—nothing mattered as they went on to lift the national championship. After the Oregon loss, Jim Knowles shared that experience with his defense. A simple message: it’s not over yet.

James Franklin took note of Knowles’ message. “The team in our conference last year that won the national championship had two conference losses during the season. … I think college football is different than maybe how it’s been in the past, and you got to do everything you possibly can to put yourself in the best position to get into the playoffs and then make a run,” the head coach said. But more than that, Franklin wants Knowles to address the whole team with his message.

Interestingly, even Ohio State, with Knowles as its defensive coordinator, lost a close game to Oregon last year. Knowles used that exact example to inspire the Nittany Lions’ defense, showing the players that setbacks don’t define a team; rather, they strengthen it.

However, Penn State needs more than a message from Jim Knowles to change things this year. Up until their Week 5 game, the Lions were in the top 5 of the AP Top 25. But they hadn’t done anything to justify that place. It was only based on their preseason hype. James Franklin’s team lost the first real challenge they faced in the form of the Ducks.

Even though the DC addressed his defense, that side of the ball wasn’t exactly an issue during the game. Yes, they missed some plays in the first half. One Dakorien Moore catch that could have been an interception but was an 8-yard gain instead. But the defense held through, stopping a Dante Moore-led Oregon offense to just three points in the first half. The real issue was on the other side of the ball.

The offense didn’t really enter the game until the fourth quarter, when James Franklin had no option but to go for it. The playbook opened, and finally, Drew Allar was allowed to throw it down the field. That’s how Penn State came into the game. Ironically, despite having a returning QB, Penn State lacks a clear offensive identity. A similar issue that Kalen DeBoer faced with Jalen Milroe last year. How do you maximize the strengths of your quarterback without exposing his weaknesses? In the first three quarters, the latter happened. Can they learn from the 4th quarter and alter their offensive design? Or would it be more of the same whenever James Franklin sees a top 10 opponent?