How Penn State fans will judge James Franklin's performances versus Ohio State, Michigan

We’re a little over halfway through the college football season, but it’s no secret that as conference play ramps around the country so does the importance, stakes, and intensity of Saturday’s action.

That sentiment can’t be more true for the Big Ten Conference, and more specifically Penn State who is not set to face Ohio State in one of the most highly anticipated college football games of the season this weekend.

The Nittany Lions alongside Ohio State and Michigan are regarded as the best three teams in the Big Ten, with Penn State trailing slightly behind the other two in recent history. On3’s Andy Staples and Blue White Illustrated’s Sean Fitz spoke about that narrative for Penn State, along with what a win over the Buckeyes on Saturday would mean for the program.

“Two-game season man, that is where they’re at, that’s where they’ve been at for a while,” Fitz said. “That is the knock on James Franklin in terms of his record against Ohio State and Michigan and really that’s what people are judging him for. And if you have championship aspirations like this team does internally, that’s fair, that is how they’ve really approached it and I think that is where the expectations are with the fans. Penn State hasn’t been there, they have not made the four team playoff.”

The Nittany Lions have achieved great success under Franklin, securing a conference title in 2016 along with four 11-win seasons and a multitude of New Year’s Six Bowl appearances. But the team’s 3-6 record versus Michigan and 1-8 record against Ohio State has held the program back from reaching the College Football Playoff heights that they strive for in Happy Valley.

“I think it’s of, I don’t want to say paramount importance, but it’s very important to James Franklin that they get in there before it expands because they don’t want to be just one of those also rans on the outside that’s just getting in because they’re a top 12 team. They want to be a top 10, they wanna be a top five team, so I think that’s important to them,” Fitz explained. “But yeah, I think there’s a bout of frustration there, everyone knows how good Ohio State is, everybody knows how good Michigan is, but Penn State wants to believe that they are in that group and if they can make a few plays, maybe just make one more play. 2017, this has popped up before, they’ve been close just haven’t been able to get over that mountain.”

With the 12-team playoff commencing next football season, it is interesting to imagine if it had already existed in the past, as Franklin among other coaches has consistently produced top-12 programs in the nation but has not been able to reap the rewards of a coveted College Football Playoff appearance.

“Had there been a 12-team [playoff] all along they would’ve been in it a bunch of times,” Staples said. “I do wonder how we would view James Franklin through that lens because it feels different because Ohio State always gets in, Michigan has not gotten in a couple of times, it does feel like they need to join the group in some way, shape, or form.”

As the Nittany Lions look to rewrite history against the Buckeyes this weekend, they must avoid the annual ‘break down’ in a certain area that seems to occur and curse them every season in this matchup. Which Fitz believes this year, like last season, is still the team’s offensive line.

“To me, I think it’s still on the offensive line,” Fitz said. “You look at the types of pressure that Jim Knowles can bring and the types of games that his defensive linemen have had. I mean JTT [JT Tuimoloau] last year, that entire draft package that he’s gonna put together next year whenever it is, is going to be him playing at Penn State last year.”

Tuimoloau wreaked havoc on the Nittany Lions offense last year, something that Penn State will definitely look to avoid this season, as they’ll look to make a statement this weekend against the Buckeyes and ignite their College Football Playoff campaign for the first time in a long time.