The last time Penn State was at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions were the No. 3 team in the country, with an opportunity to avenge their Big Ten Championship Game loss against No. 6 Oregon, the reigning conference champions. However, when the Nittany Lions returned to Happy Valley in Week 7, they did it as an unranked 3-2 team still searching for a win over a Power 4 opponent.
James Franklin went from the coach who can’t win the big game to the coach who can’t win a Big Ten game, losing to previously winless UCLA, with an interim head coach and first-time play-caller, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl last week. So, many of the fans who showed up for Penn State’s Week 7 matchup with Northwestern on Saturday made their displeasure known.
From Dreeeeew to boos as James Franklin is announced to the Beaver Stadium crowd
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) October 11, 2025
Gonna be an interesting one.
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Boos rained down on Franklin during the team’s introductions, and Penn State responded by allowing the 3-2 Wildcats to take a 7-0 lead. Penn State managed just a 14-13 lead at halftime with rushing touchdowns from Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton.
There couldn’t be more pressure on James Franklin from his fanbase
Penn State fans have had a complicated relationship with Franklin, and his two College Football Playoff wins over SMU and Boise State last season haven’t eased the tensions. Much of the fanbase is ready to move on from the head coach, who is locked in with Penn State through 2031 with a contract that carries a buyout of about $50 million.
Franklin, with that loss to Oregon in double overtime two weeks ago, is now 4-21 against top-10-ranked opponents. He’ll likely face at least one more top 10 opponent this season, No. 1 Ohio State, but the Indiana Hoosiers, currently at No. 7 in the AP Poll, could still be in the top 10 when they come to Beaver Stadium.
Franklin would need to win both matchups to give Penn State any chance of qualifying for the College Football Playoff, and potentially to save his job. It doesn’t seem likely that the Nittany Lions will be able to beat Ohio State for the first time since 2016, when Franklin led the program to the Big Ten title.
The fanbase will only grow more restless as Penn State continues to struggle, and with top in-state recruits starting to take notice of Franklin’s precarious situation, the frustrations will continue to fester. This may not be the last time we hear Franklin booed by his home fans this season.