Pause for a moment and soak in this absurdity.
Penn State’s senior All-America tight end is the most – take your pick – intriguing, fascinating, dominating player left in the College Football Playoff. He’s a matchup deficit for every opponent, no matter what defenses throw at him.
He’s a WWE superstar prancing around his fiefdom, knowing full well no one can touch him. Only there’s nothing fake about this all too real unicorn on the college football stage.
Or as Boise State coach Spencer Danielson plainly admitted, “The best way to try to negate (Warren) is to affect the quarterback.”
In other words, if you can’t pressure Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, there’s no answer for Warren. Now everyone finally gets to witness this rare player in all his glory, on the sport’s biggest stage Thursday in the CFP Orange Bowl semifinal against Notre Dame.
“I’m glad I’ve got another week with these guys,” Warren said after Penn State’s CFP quarterfinal win over Boise State. ‘I’m trying to play every play like it’s the last one.”
Welcome Notre Dame, to defending the indefensible. Be prepared to fail — like everyone else.
“Obviously a difficult matchup problem,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman says matter-of-factly.
And he’s not overselling it.
If you haven’t seen Warren before – because who among us didn’t tune out Penn State in early November after yet another loss to Ohio State? – you’re in for a remarkable revelation.
Like Warren, a former high school quarterback, leaping and scoring from the three — soaring over Illinois defenders and into the end zone while lined up at quarterback. Or doing it again, from the same spot on the field, against Washington.
Or the 48-yard touchdown run on quarterback power against Purdue, where he hit the edge and got into the second level and ran away from the defense. Not one defender touched him.
Or completing a pass, then catching a throwback pass, for a 40-yard gain against Purdue. On the same play, while lined up at quarterback.
Or playing center – yes, everyone, center – against Southern California and lined up eligible in the formation, snapping the ball and running a streak down the center of the field. He caught the ball in the end zone while flipping over the safety, yet another 50-50 ball where 6-feet-6, 260 pounds has the advantage.
Because 6-6, 260 always has the advantage. That catch against USC was one of 17 in the game. That’s right, seventeen.
Warren has had at least six catches in nine of Penn State’s 15 games. He has four 100-yard games, eight touchdowns and is averaging almost 12 yards per catch. He also has four rushing touchdowns while lining up in the backfield.
Now imagine game-planning this rare weapon in the biggest game of the season.
Boise State tried everything to keep Warren from changing the course of the game, including double teams, rolling coverages, and using ends and linebackers to jam and redirect at the line of scrimmage. Nothing worked when it mattered most, when Boise State couldn’t affect the quarterback on critical plays.
Two plays – two dagger touchdowns – where Warren’s size and speed took over. Where the unicorn made a play that only he can.
The first came on Penn State’s initial drive of the game, on second-and-long, when Warren had the time to run from the left side of the formation all the way to the right corner of the end zone. Allar threw the ball to a point in the back corner, and Warren outran pass-off zone coverage to go get it.
And deftly tapping his feet inbounds before lumbering out of the end zone.
Later in the third quarter, after Boise State had closed to 17-14 and had momentum, Warren caught another touchdown pass on third-and-long — this time in man coverage, high-pointing an Allar throw in the back of the end zone over safety Ty Benefield for a gut-punch of a score.
Again, gently getting two feet inbounds and completing the catch before crossing the back line.
Now, the problem for Notre Dame: the Irish are just as limited in coverage of Warren. Like everyone else in college football.
But Notre Dame has seven sacks in playoff wins over Indiana and Georgia, and despite size limitations (and injuries) on the defensive line, has been able to manufacture pressure and affect the quarterback.
Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke had an elite season, but struggled mightily against the Notre Dame pass rush (and coverage) until the Irish played soft with a 24-point lead. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, making his first career start, played about the same, the Irish constantly harassing and limiting in his impact.
The plan for Notre Dame is the same as the plan for Boise State: affect the quarterback, and affect Warren’s chances of changing the game.
Needless to say, it doesn’t always work.
“He’s not just a big guy who can run. He’s long and has a rare catch radius, and he can run right over you,” said Boise Sate safety Alexander Tuebner. “He finds ways to make plays no matter how you cover him.”
This is your unicorn, everyone. And it’s darn near impossible to defend the indefensible.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.