James Franklin calls for all teams to be in a conference in front of Marcus Freeman

Ahead of an Orange Bowl matchup against Notre Dame in a College Football Playoff semifinal contest, Penn State coach James Franklin wasted little time stating he thinks the sport needs some major change.

Franklin opened up on why he thinks things need to be more standardized across the country, perhaps putting his peer, Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman, in an awkward position on the same stage.

“Obviously you talk about the differences between our two programs and conferences,” Franklin said. “I think it should be consistent across college football. Again, this is no knock at coach or Notre Dame, but I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play a conference championship game or no one should play a conference championship game.”

Freeman shifted uncomfortably in his seat, perhaps realizing he was about to face questions about whether Notre Dame should remain independent. James Franklin continued on with his point.

“I think everybody should play the same number of conference games,” Franklin said. “I was a head coach in the SEC, I’ve been a head coach in the Big Ten. I was in the SEC when the whole conversation was whether to go to eight or nine conference games. We voted, all the coaches voted against going to nine games. The commissioner agreed and kept it at eight. I think it was one of the better decisions the SEC made.

“The Big Ten went to nine games. And I was not a math major at East Stroudsburg, but just the numbers are going to make things more challenging if you’re playing one more conference game. So I just think things need to be consistent across college football.”

Freeman was allowed his chance to answer a similar question in the Orange Bowl press conference, opining on whether Notre Dame should remain independent.

He mostly dodged the question, simply stating that he will adjust to whatever is put in front of him. He also noted James Franklin had more experience as a coach in these types of situations.

“I think in a very eloquent way Marcus just called me old,” Franklin said. “Experienced. That word. Yeah.”

But the Penn State coach had a point to make and he wasn’t done hammering it home.

“I guess what I would say, the reason that I feel that way is I look at the College Football Playoff committee and I just try, most things in life I try to look at things from both perspectives, right?” James Franklin said. “And I just try to sit here and say if I was in that room and I’m getting criticized about who makes the playoff, whether it was four or twelve, and everybody’s got an opinion, I just think how do you put those people that are in that room to make a really important decision that impacts the landscape of college football and they can’t compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges. I think that makes it very, very difficult.”

Aside from simply the number of conference games, there are other considerations at play too.

“Strength of schedule plays a factor, and obviously Notre Dame plays a great schedule every year and have forever,” James Franklin said. “And I get, I get the understanding and the impact of independence on their program. I’m just talking about it more strictly from the College Football Playoff committee sitting in that room trying to make decisions. How do you make decisions when every conference is different, schools are different? I think it puts them in a very difficult position, and I’m speaking on it more from that behalf.”