James Franklin not alone in struggles vs. Top 10 opponents

Joe Paterno – Penn State

1966
0-1 L @ Michigan State (1) 42-8
0-2 L @ UCLA (4) 49-11
0-3 L @ Georgia Tech (5) 21-0

1967
0-4 L UCLA (3) 17-15
1-4 W NC State (3) 13-8

1968
2-4 W Kansas (6) 15-14

1969
3-4 W Missouri (6) 10-3

1970
None

1971
None

1972
3-5 L Tennessee (7) 28-21
3-6 L Oklahoma (2) 14-0

1973
None

1974
None

1975
3-7 L @ Ohio State (3) 17-9
4-7 W West Virginia (10) 39-0
4-8 L Alabama (4) 13-6

1976
4-9 L Ohio State (2) 12-7
4-10 L @ Pittsburgh (1) 24-7

1977
5-10 W Houston (9) 31-14
6-10 W @ Pittsburgh (10) 15-13

1978
7-10 W @ Ohio State (6) 19-0
8-10 W Maryland (5) 27-3
8-11 L Alabama (2) 14-7

1979
8-12 L @ Nebraska (6) 42-17

1980
8-13 L Nebraska (3) 21-7
9-13 W @ Missouri (9) 29-21
9-14 L Pittsburgh (4) 14-9

1981
9-15 L Alabama (6) 31-16
10-15 W @ Pittsburgh (1) 48-14
11-15 W USC (8) 26-10

1982
12-15 W Nebraska (2) 27-24
12-16 L @ Alabama (4) 42-21
13-16 W Pittsburgh (5) 19-10
14-16 W Georgia (1) 27-23

1983
14-17 L Nebraska (1) 44-6
15-17 W Alabama (3) 34-28
16-17 W West Virginia (4) 41-23

1984
17-17 W @ Iowa (5) 20-17
17-18 L Texas (2) 28-3
18-18 W Boston College (9) 37-30

1985
19-18 W @ Maryland (7) 20-18
20-18 W Alabama (10) 19-17
20-19 L Oklahoma (3) 25-10

1986
21-19 W @ Alabama (2) 23-3
22-19 W Miami (1) 14-10

1987
23-19 W Notre Dame (7) 21-20

1988
23-20 L @ West Virginia (7) 51-30
23-21 L @ Notre Dame (1) 21-3

1989
23-22 L Alabama (6) 17-16
23-23 L Notre Dame (1) 34-23

1990
23-24 L @ USC (6) 19-14
24-24 W @ Notre Dame (1) 24-21
24-25 L Florida State (6) 24-17

1991
25-25 W Georgia Tech (8) 34-22
25-26 L @ Miami (2) 26-20
26-26 W Tennessee (10) 42-17

1992
26-27 L Miami (2) 17-14
26-28 L @ Notre Dame (8) 17-16

1993
26-29 L @ Ohio State (3) 24-6
27-29 W Tennessee (6) 31-13

1994
28-29 W @ Michigan (5) 31-24

1995
28-30 L Ohio State (5) 28-25
28-31 L @ Northwestern (6) 21-10

1996
29-31 W USC (7) 24-7
29-32 L @ Ohio State (3) 38-7

1997
30-32 W Ohio State (7) 31-27
30-33 L Michigan (4) 34-8
30-34 L Florida (6) 21-6

1998
30-35 L @ Ohio State (1) 28-9

1999
31-35 W Arizona (4) 41-7
32-35 W @ Miami (8) 27-23

2000
None

2001
32-36 L Miami (2) 33-7

2002
33-36 W Nebraska (8) 40-7
33-37 L @ Ohio State (4) 13-7

2003
33-38 L Ohio State (8) 21-20

2004
33-39 L Purdue (9) 20-13

2005
34-39 W Ohio State (6) 17-10

2006
34-40 L @ Notre Dame (4) 41-17
34-41 L @ Ohio State (1) 28-6
34-42 L Michigan (4) 17-10

2007
34-43 L Ohio State (1) 37-17

2008
35-43 W @ Ohio State (10) 13-6
35-44 L USC (5) 38-24

2009
None

2010
35-45 L @ Alabama (1) 24-3
35-46 L @ Ohio State (8) 38-14

2011 (coached for nine games of the season)
35-47 L Alabama (3) 27-11

Conclusion

Even the all-time winningest coach in FBS history has a losing record against the top 10.

Furthermore, Paterno’s best W/L ratio was when he got to 23-19 after Penn State dispatched Notre Dame back in 1987. Four games above .500. That’s the high-water mark.

Look, coaching at any of the highest levels is difficult. And I’m not making any excuses for James Franklin’s record, either. It’s bad.

The Penn State Football program is not a top 10 program, which is exactly why it hasn’t fared well when facing top 10 opponents.

Is it better off than it was eight years ago? Sure.

But it’s not elite.

And until this happens (if it ever does under Franklin), then we shouldn’t expect Penn State to beat top 10 teams, and have excellent records against them.

The top 10 teams are typically ranked in the top 10 because they are good. Which is why it is very difficult to beat them with any consistency and it’s also why there are only a small handful of coaches who have done it.