Imagine starting the college football season as one of the top teams in the nation, just a handful of games away from battling for the national title, only to see everything crumble in a matter of weeks. That's the shocking reality for Penn State fans, whose hopes collapsed dramatically—and now, the program has made a bold move to shake things up. But here's where it gets controversial: is firing the coach after such a swift downturn the right solution, or could it backfire with a massive payout? Stick around to explore this wild turn of events and decide for yourself.
Just seven games into the 2025 season, Penn State shocked the college football world by parting ways with head coach James Franklin. This decision followed a breathtaking slide, where the Nittany Lions went from championship contenders to struggling underdogs in record time. The announcement came right after their third consecutive loss, including a narrow defeat as heavy favorites, marking one of the quickest coaching changes in recent memory.
The Nittany Lions began the year with sky-high expectations, sitting at No. 2 in the AP Top 25 rankings and undefeated in their first three games. However, a heartbreaking overtime defeat to then-No. 6 Oregon sparked a downward spiral. Back-to-back losses to UCLA and Northwestern sealed the deal, effectively ending Franklin's 12-year tenure at Penn State after just six games played.
Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft expressed a mix of appreciation and resolve in his statement, saying, 'Penn State owes an enormous amount of gratitude to coach Franklin, who rebuilt our football program into a national power. He won a Big Ten championship, led us to seven New Year’s Six bowl games and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. However, we hold our athletics programs to the highest of standards, and we believe this is the right moment for new leadership at the helm of our football program to advance us toward Big Ten and national championships.'
In a heartfelt nod on social media, Penn State's football team tweeted, 'Thank you for everything, CJF,' along with a picture that captured the emotion of the moment.
To put their season in perspective, Penn State entered the year at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten conference play. After a strong start, that stunning loss to Oregon in double overtime seemed to unravel everything. The finale came with a 22-21 home defeat to Northwestern on Saturday, compounded by a devastating season-ending injury to quarterback Drew Allar, which abruptly halted his college career.
Franklin, now 53, had signed a lucrative 10-year extension back in November 2021, guaranteeing him through the 2031 season at $7.5 million annually, plus bonuses and perks like a $1 million yearly life insurance benefit. Despite the firing, he'll receive approximately $45 million in buyout payments—assuming no negotiated changes—making it the second-largest such payout in college football history, surpassed only by the $77 million owed to Jimbo Fisher through 2031. For beginners wondering what a buyout means, it's essentially a financial settlement that a school pays to end a coach's contract early, often to cover lost earnings and incentives, and it can be a huge expense for programs like Penn State.
Stepping in as interim coach for the remainder of the season will be associate head coach Terry Smith, as announced by the university.
Franklin's journey at Penn State started in 2014, following a successful three-year stint at Vanderbilt where he secured 24 wins. He took over from Bill O’Brien, who departed for the Houston Texans. Early on, Franklin navigated a couple of 7-6 seasons in Happy Valley, but then led the team to an impressive 11 wins and a Big Ten title in 2016, though they fell short in the Rose Bowl against USC.
From 2016 through 2025, Penn State consistently ranked in the preseason top 10, achieving double-digit wins six times. However, they never advanced far enough in the College Football Playoff—finishing no better than seventh until the format expanded to 12 teams in 2024. Last year, they were tantalizingly close to the national title, holding a halftime lead in the Orange Bowl before losing 26-23 to Notre Dame. And this is the part most people miss: Franklin's record against elite competition raises eyebrows. He's just 4-21 against top-10 teams overall and an even slimmer 1-18 against top-10 Big Ten opponents. His .160 winning percentage against these powerhouse squads ties for the third-worst among coaches with at least 25 such games at one school since rankings began in 1936, per ESPN data.
Reflecting on this, Franklin acknowledged the criticism, stating, 'I get that narrative, and it’s really not a narrative—it’s factual. It’s the facts. I try to look at the entire picture and what we’ve been able to do here. But at the end of the day, we got to find a way to win those games. I totally get it. And I take ownership. I take responsibility.' He added this after a Week 5 loss to Oregon earlier in the season.
Interestingly, Franklin had avoided defeats to unranked teams since 2021, when Penn State endured nine overtimes against Illinois. Yet, the recent struggles were palpable: facing boos from fans before the homecoming game against Northwestern, followed by Allar's injury, and chants of 'Fire Franklin' echoing after the loss. Now, with the coach gone, Penn State is shelling out a fortune to hunt for new talent on the sidelines.
This situation begs some tough questions: Was the timing of this firing fair, given Franklin's long-term success and rebuild? Or does his inability to close out big games against top teams justify the move, even with such a costly buyout? Do you believe Penn State will rebound quickly under new leadership, or is this a risky gamble? Share your opinions in the comments—do you agree with the decision, or see a different side to this story? Let's discuss!
