James Franklin and Penn State get another chance at glory against Oregon, but if history has told us anything, don’t bet on it
In perhaps the most symbolic James Franklin moment of all time, the Penn State Nittany Lions are set to take on the Oregon Ducks this weekend in the Big Ten Championship. They earned this moment after the Ohio State Buckeyes were upset by the Michigan Wolverines last weekend at home, lucking into a chance at […]
In perhaps the most symbolic James Franklin moment of all time, the Penn State Nittany Lions are set to take on the Oregon Ducks this weekend in the Big Ten Championship. They earned this moment after the Ohio State Buckeyes were upset by the Michigan Wolverines last weekend at home, lucking into a chance at the Big Ten crown. Coach Franklin feels like he’s made a living out of lucking into things, and this upcoming matchup is the biggest example.
Penn State finished the regular season 11-1, but when you peel back the layers of the resume, it’s less than impressive. Of those 11 victories, only one came against a team with less than four losses. Only three of them in total were against teams with winning records, and one of those was MAC foe Bowling Green who is 7-5 on the year.
Those 11 victories were against teams that finished the regular season 56-76, which isn’t exactly the best resume in the world. Yes, they fit here as the No. 3 ranked team in all of college football, and most still don’t have a great argument as to why.
Coach Franklin and this Nittany Lion team have a chance to prove all the naysayers wrong this weekend, and grab a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff. It would be quite the story for Franklin, who has garnered a reputation as a coach who can’t get it done in the biggest moments. His resume is littered with those blunders.
After the team’s 20-13 loss to the Buckeyes a few weeks ago, that pushed Franklin’s record to 3-19 against top 25 teams during his Penn State tenure. That includes a record of just 1-7 at home in such games. Those using historical data to compile game predictions would be smart to fade Franklin, and bet on the Oregon Ducks.
At some point, Penn State does need to look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are okay with this current state of the program. They are a good team, but there has clearly been a ceiling that has been created. Maybe that will change this weekend? History would suggest otherwise.
