Penn State backup QB Beau Pribula enters transfer portal days ahead of College Football Playoff

Beau Pribula is not sticking around for Penn State's matchup with SMU in the College Football Playoff.

The redshirt sophomore backup quarterback has announced he is entering the transfer portal, taking him out of the mix when the sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (11-2) host the 11th-seeded Mustangs (11-2) in the opening round on Saturday.

While Pribula wrote in an Instagram post late Sunday night that it had always been a dream of his as a Pennsylvania native to play for the state's flagship school, he added that with a ''heavy heart'' he is leaving the program after speaking with his family and unidentified Nittany Lion coaches.

''The current NCAA post-season model creates a challenge for student-athletes,'' Pribula wrote. ''The overlapping CFB playoff & transfer portal timeline has forced me into an impossible decision.''

The transfer portal opened last week, less than 24 hours after the 12-team CFP field was announced.

Though he doesn't start, Pribula has appeared in all 13 games this season for Penn State, usually in packages designed to take advantage of his mobility. Pribula has run for 242 yards and four touchdowns this season, while also completing 26 of 35 passes for 275 yards with five scores and one interception.

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