For James Franklin’s entire 11-year tenure at Penn State, and in particular, every season since the Nittany Lions broke through to national prominence again in 2016, the goal has been to get to the College Football Playoff semifinal. On Thursday night in the Orange Bowl, Franklin’s team was finally two wins away from the national championship, and yet after a 27-24 loss to Notre Dame, much of the fanbase is calling for his job.
Fire James Franklin. Period. What more needs to be seen. Completely outcoached in the second half. Another big game, another big loss.
— Yut (@DT3Yut) January 10, 2025
Fire James Franklin
— Chris Gannaway (@Gannaway81) January 10, 2025
Just fire James Franklin already. It’s almost like a skit at this point.
— DOSK 🎧 (@Dj_Dosk) January 10, 2025
Franklin has earned the sarcastic nickname “Big Game James” for his lack of success against the best teams in college football, falling to 1-15 against AP Top 5 teams after Thursday night’s loss to the Irish. Despite winning the most games in program history with 13 and the first two CFP games in program history this season beating SMU in the first round at Beaver Stadium and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal, Franklin’s accomplishments this year will be distilled down to a late-game decision to allow junior quarterback Drew Allar to throw the ball with under a minute left.
Penn State won't fire James Franklin because they were one game away from a national title game appearance but he is definitely incompetent.
— Scott Reichel (@ReichelRadio) January 10, 2025
He's probably the worst big game coach in America. No exaggeration. pic.twitter.com/RNAYj0SSL6
Allar’s late-game interception set up Notre Dame’s game-winning field goal drive and set social media on fire, reigniting the flames from Penn State’s midseason loss to Ohio State. Most are dismissing the victories over SMU and Boise State outright because of the Nittany Lion’s favorable draw in the flawed 12-team CFP format.
If you bet on James Franklin in a big game. You have nobody to blame but yourself.
— Jon “Stugotz” Weiner (@stugotz790) January 10, 2025
James Franklin is done. He’s outta there. You have to fire him after this game he still hasn’t won a big game against a good opponent.
— #11 Big For Now Dickinson Deluxe (@BigDickinsonDel) January 10, 2025
While much of the fanbase and frankly some of the college football media is ready to end Franklin’s remarkably successful tenure in Happy Valley, there are plenty of level-headed observers rightfully placing the blame at the feet of the former five-star quarterback who threw the costly interception.
Drew Allar lost the game for Penn State, not James Franklin https://t.co/Ur5jfDiWZ7
— Nick Kostos (@TheKostos) January 10, 2025
Despite the outrageous and seemingly never-ending cries, Penn State won’t be moving on from Franklin this offseason and the Nittany Lions will be Big Ten and national championship contenders again next season.