The 7 most important plays that have defined the James Franklin era

James Franklin has been head coach at Penn State for a full decade, and his journey to bring the storied program back to prominence has had its share of bumps in the road. From 2014-now, these seven plays have defined the James Franklin era. From reasserting Penn State as a national power to the moments when that progress has stalled, here are the biggest plays during James Franklin's tenure.

7. Trace McSorley's touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson on the final play vs. Iowa (2017)

It's never easy to go into Kinnick Stadium at night and come away with a win. In 2017, Penn State, and particularly Saquon Barkley were able to rack up the offensive yards against Iowa. However, the Hawkeyes, who are always known for great defenses, never broke. With a 4th & Goal and four seconds remaining, Trace McSorley and the Nittany Lions had one last chance to escape with a win.

McSorley was able to thread the needle to Juwan Johnson in the back of the endzone for a game-winning touchdown, stunning the Hawkeye faithful and remaining undefeated for the season. In retrospect, if Penn State does not convert, they probably do not make a New Year's Six Bowl that year.