"That's a disastrous record": Paul Finebaum mounts pressure on James Franklin ahead of crucial game against Ryan Day's Ohio State
As Penn State and James Franklin prepare for a crucial battle with Ohio State, commentators are weighing in. Franklin caught Penn State football in 2014 after the sex abuse scandal had stripped the program. While Franklin has brought No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) back to national prominence, some in the media are skeptical.
Paul Finebaum drops the hammer on James Franklin ahead of OSU game
You could consider ESPN host Paul Finebaum as one who doesn't believe in Franklin. He made his stance on Franklin clear on ESPN's "Get Up".
"We'd have to take out the easiest and laziest take in college football-- that James Franklin can't win the big one.... You see the record here, 1-12 (against top 5 teams). That is a disastrous record. He always loses to Ohio State and Michigan and that's a mark on his resume."-- Paul Finebaum
The numbers behind the record
Finebaum is, of course, factually accurate about Franklin's record. Franklin's lone win at Penn State over a top 5 team was a 2016 victory over then No. 2 Ohio State. It is worth noting that Franklin is 1-9 against Ohio State and 3-7 against Michigan in his tenure at State College.
Franklin is 60-32 in Big Ten play, but that breaks down to 56-16 against teams that aren't Michigan and Ohio State. Franklin has led the Nittany Lions to four 11-win seasons, but has never finished higher than No. 7 in the AP rankings. Of course, the new playoff format might make seasons finishing seventh (twice), eighth and ninth into something relevant.
Penn State's history
The Nittany Lions had tremendous success under Joe Paterno, who was PSU's head coach from 1966 to 2011. But the final years of Paterno's tenure were marked by turmoil arising from misconduct from longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Penn State hired Bill O'Brien to replace Paterno, but after two seasons, O'Brien left the job to return to the NFL. PSU then hired Franklin, who had previously experienced tremendous success at Vanderbilt, going 24-15 in three seasons at the perennial SEC doormat. Now in his 11th season at PSU, Franklin is 95-39 overall.
Penn State/Ohio State battle
Saturday, the No. 3 Nittany Lions (7-0, 4-0) will host the No. 4 Buckeyes (6-1, 3-1). The most recent betting odds have the Nittany Lions as a 3-point underdog at home. It's worth noting that Penn State hasn't been favored to beat Ohio State or Michigan since 2019, when Penn State bested then-No. 16 Michigan.
Both teams are in the thick of the College Football Playoff hunt, with only Ohio State's battle with No. 13 Indiana (8-0, 5-0) on Nov. 23 carrying any other direct regular season implications after Saturday. Franklin's improvement of that 1-12 mark could be huge for multiple programs.
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