Ohio State Buckeyes are already looking like they could take advantage of Penn State’s decision to fire James Franklin
The Buckeyes could benefit big time from the firing.
Before the season, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions were the trendy picks to compete for the Big Ten title. Ohio State’s season has lived up to expectations — the Buckeyes are the No. 1 team in the country with a 6-0 record. Meanwhile, Penn State has gone in the opposite direction, losing three straight games to Oregon, UCLA, and Northwestern. As a result, the program has moved on from head coach James Franklin.
It was a costly decision for Penn State, which owes Franklin nearly $50 million in buyout money following the firing. With the move coming midseason, the Buckeyes won’t see Franklin on the sidelines when Penn State travels to Columbus at the beginning of November. The coaching change has also opened the floodgates for recruits who are now reconsidering their commitments to the Nittany Lions.
Buckeyes are in on an elite 5-star recruit who just decommitted from Penn State
Running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and the Buckeyes are among the schools in the mix for five-star McKeesport (Pa.) running back Kemon Spell, who decommitted from Penn State over the weekend. Spell, a 5-foot-9, 205-pound prospect in the class of 2027, had been committed to the Nittany Lions since August 2024. Ohio State offered Spell back in April and is now one of eight schools vying for his commitment.
According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Spell is the No. 1 running back in the 2027 class and the No. 8 overall player nationally. He holds nearly 20 offers, with programs like Oregon and Nebraska recently joining the race since his decommitment. Ohio State currently has just one running back committed in the 2026 class — Favour Akih — so targeting an elite talent like Spell in 2027 makes sense.
The Buckeyes already brought in three running backs in their 2025 class, with freshman Bo Jackson emerging as the lead back this season. Last year, it was TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins who carried the load in Locklyn’s first year coaching in Columbus. Penn State’s decision to fire Franklin is already having a ripple effect, and other programs — Ohio State included — are positioned to benefit through both recruiting and the transfer portal.
Ohio State Buckeyes News
Buckeye Nation won’t like Illinois HC Bret Bielema’s admission after Ohio State beat the Illini
The Buckeyes moved to 6-0 on the season despite giving up double-digit points for just the second time this year.
