How Penn State’s Nick Singleton Plans to ‘Rip It’ and Dominate Oregon’s Defense This Weekend

When you think about a showdown between two powerhouse college football teams—No. 3 Penn State and No. 6 Oregon—what’s the one mindset that separates the greats from the almost-greats? For Nick Singleton, the star running back for the Nittany Lions, it’s all about cutting through the noise and ditching the overthinking. His coach, James Franklin, keeps nudging him back on track, reminding him that you can’t afford to get bogged down mentally against an elite squad like Oregon. “I’m gonna rip it this weekend,” Singleton said, capturing that raw, unfiltered confidence that fuels Penn State’s electric offense this season. With a blistering 3-0 record and some seriously impressive stats under their belt, the Nittany Lions aren’t just out to play—they’re gunning to dominate. So, the question isn’t just who will win—but who will crack under the pressure? Ready to dive deeper into Singleton’s game plan and Penn State’s path forward? LEARN MORE.

Penn State running back Nick Singleton gave his thoughts about the team’s upcoming matchup against the No. 6 Oregon Ducks.

The matchup highlights a battle between two of the 10 best teams in the country. The Nittany Lions stand out with the third-best ranking in the latest AP Top 25 poll, something that the Ducks will look to reach by beating their fellow opponent.

Singleton talked about the matchup during Thursday’s press conference, via outlet Basic Blues Nation. He said that overthinking isn’t a good mentality to have against Oregon, something that his head coach James Franklin pointed out to him.

“Obviously against Oregon, you can’t think like that against a good team. So I’m gonna rip it this weekend, and it’s gonna be really good,” Singleton said.

James Franklin has said Nicholas Singleton is thinking too much through the early portion of the season.

What is the star running back’s mentality heading into Saturday’s primetime showdown against Oregon?

“Obviously against Oregon, you can’t think like that against a good… pic.twitter.com/2T9ky3XcRr

— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) September 25, 2025

What lies ahead for Nick Singleton, Penn State

Penn State running back Nick Singleton (10) carries the ball during the Blue-White game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in State College. The White team defeated the Blue team, 10-8. — Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s reasonable for Nick Singleton to think a lot about what he’ll encounter against Oregon’s defense. But with his head coach keeping him on the right track, the star running back will look to be at his best for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Penn State is off to a hot start to the 2025 season with a 3-0 record. They torched Nevada, FIU and Villanova with blowouts, only conceding a total of 17 points throughout those contests.

The Nittany Lions are averaging 44 points per game on offense while allowing 5.7 points per game on defense. Drew Allar has been effective at leading the attack, completing 57 passes out of 88 attempts for 626 yards and four touchdowns.

Singleton has shined as one of the main running backs, having 41 carries for 179 net yards and five touchdowns. Kaytron Allen follows him with 34 rushes for 273 yards and three scores.

The No. 3 Nittany Lions will prepare for their next matchup, being at home. They host the No. 6 Ducks on Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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