No. 7 Penn State was behind by 20 at halftime, falling behind a UCLA team that has yet to win a game in 2025. By the end of regulation, the Bruins (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) recorded a huge statement win against the Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten). However, it only took 30 minutes for head coach James Franklin's job to be questioned.
Franklin was out-coached in Week 5 against No. 2 Oregon, then he allowed a winless team to take the lead and never let go of it from the first drive of the game in Week 6. Where does he go next? How does he fix it? Franklin needs answers not just for Penn State's national championship hopes, but for his job security.
James Franklin needs to win against No. 1 Ohio State in Week 10
The Nittany Lions have three big games on the schedule: Iowa in Week 8, No. 1 Ohio State in Week 10, and No. 8 Indiana in Week 11. At the start of the season, Penn State needed to win two of those three. Now with two losses on its record, Franklin needs all three in the win column.
Week 7 should be a given win for the Nittany Lions. While UCLA was supposed to be the confidence boost after the loss to the Ducks, Northwestern has to be a game Penn State actually puts it all together. It can't be a close game, Franklin needs to do what he should've done against the Bruins. He needs to take the lead as soon as possible and not let go of it once. In fact, it shouldn't even be a possibility for Northwestern to bounce back.
Quarterback Drew Allar needs a confidence building game, and with those three daunting games on the horizon, Week 7 is his last chance to do so. Going on the road into Hawkeyes territory won't be easy. It's a big game for Allar and Franklin, but not as much as Oregon or Ohio State are. It's a stepping stone in handling the pressure. With a newly confident starting quarterback and an edge, a win over Iowa will prove to Franklin that he can withstand the pressure of a big game.
It's the step that he needs. He can't go into Ohio State after the Week 9 bye without one somewhat big game under his control. The match against the Buckeyes will take all four quarters. The Nittany Lions can't "wake up" in the second half or fourth quarter and expect to win. They need to be up and ready at kickoff.
A win over Ohio State is a playoff indicating game now. If Franklin pulls out a win on the road against the top ranked team in the country, Penn State is back in business. That momentum needs to carry over into Indiana too in Week 10. Two back-to-back losses needs to be blips in Penn State's season, not the norm. However, a close game against Iowa, Ohio State, or Indiana can't end in a loss. Franklin doesn't have any life left for moral wins. He needs actual wins.
That's just the regular season.
Penn State has to make the College Football Playoff National Championship Game
The Nittany Lions had a heartbreaking loss to the 2024-25 season with a game-sealing interception from Allar against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. A semifinals exit is what Penn State wanted revenge from. Franklin needs to take care of business in the regular season first, but a first round, quarterfinals, or semifinals exit is enough to bruise his reputation even if those regular season games fall in his favor.
Penn State needs a leader. It needs a head coach that shines in big moments, not hide in the shadows. Franklin said since Week 1 that there were inconsistencies in his team's game. At this point, it's not inconsistency. It's consistency in poor decision-making and play calling. It's consistency in lacking confidence in the starting quarterback. It's consistency failing to meet expectations. Either that consistency flips around in the Nittany Lions' and Franklin's favor. Or a big piece of the equation might just end up on the hot seat.