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Paul Finebaum gives honest evaluation of James Franklin after disappointing game against Ohio State

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•10/22/23
James-Franklin-Phil-Trautwein-Ty-Howle-Penn-State
Penn State head coach James Franklin flanked by assistants Phil Trautwein and Ty Howle. (Photo by Blue-White Illustrated)

Following Penn State‘s loss to Ohio State over the weekend the conversation has once again turned to the future of James Franklin with the program.

The Nittany Lions appear to be in quite a pickle, good enough to beat just about everyone in the Big Ten routinely except for Michigan and Ohio State. In other words: Plenty good enough to be considered a high-quality program without truly threatening to make a College Football Playoff appearance.

At least one prominent college football analyst doesn’t believe much is going to change.

“He has one more shot and if anyone, raise your hand, and I don’t see any, if you believe he’s going to beat Michigan at home,” ESPN’s Paul Finebaum said.

But if Penn State can’t beat Michigan in a few weeks, where does that leave the program? Franklin isn’t even close to the hot seat right now, but he’s building a pretty lengthy track record of not being able to break through in the Big Ten.

“I mean he’s in that gray area where he’s got a good program, 10-win program at Penn State,” Finebaum said. “Is it enough? And I don’t think many Penn State fans really believe it is. Not suggesting anything beyond that, because what do you do? We’re talking about a guy that can’t win 11, but that’s really where that program is.”

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Things could potentially uncomplicate themselves with the addition of a few more top-notch teams to the Big Ten starting next year, though.

Schedules are bound to get even tougher, so if James Franklin can continue to maintain such a high level of winning, he’s likely to continue getting cracks at breaking through.

“It’s going to be the luck of the schedule, too, in the Big Ten, of what you get and where you have to go,” Finebaum said. “I don’t know. He just doesn’t inspire much, to me. Seems like he’s always belly-aching, always making excuses. I don’t know what the future looks like. He’s passed on some other jobs, they’ve passed on him. I think Penn State’s stuck with the guy.”