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James Franklin on Penn State's season opener against West Virginia: 'It's a hornet's nest'

Mug-Shot 4x4by:Ryan Snyder•07/24/24•

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Penn State running back Nick Singleton breaks a tackle against West Virginia last season. (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

INDIANAPOLIS – Penn State head coach James Franklin will begin his 11th season in charge of the program in just 38 days from now. Over the past four seasons, the Nittany Lions have started out with not only a Power Five opponent in each season opener, but road trips three of the past four years.

Of course, the lone home game came last year against West Virginia, which resulted in a 38-15 win that was closer than the score indicated at times but still never felt like a game that would truly get away from the Lions.

Now, for 2024, Penn State is set to go back on the road, this time returning to Morgantown for the second half of its home-and-home series with the Mountaineers. Considering these two schools have met 60 times previously, it’s hard to believe that the Nittany Lions will be playing at West Virginia for the first time since 1992.

“I think it’s good. As you guys know, you’ve been to Morgantown. It’s a hornet’s nest,” Franklin said during an interview with members of the Big Ten Network Wednesday. “They take a lot of pride in their football team. They’ve got no pro team. It’s all about West Virginia, all about Morgantown. So, it’ll be a great environment to play in. I was fortunate to play there a bunch when I was at the University of Maryland.”

Penn State has also fared well under Franklin when it comes to its marquee nonconference game each season. In addition to last year’s win, Penn State beat Auburn both home and away in 2021 and 2022. They also won three of their four games against Pitt from 2016 to 2019.

Franklin believes those experiences should help he and his team.

“We’ve played games like this, [going to] Auburn a few years ago. Even our game at Purdue was a great game to open the season,” Franklin said. “I think our guys know what it’s about. This isn’t the NFL where you get a chance to work the kinks out. We’ve got to be playing well from week one, and there’s a handful of those games across the country.”

Following some big changes in the Big Ten and across college football, Penn State won’t play another Power Four opponent in the nonconference until Syracuse comes to Beaver Stadium in 2027. They’ll then go to Syracuse the following year.

But with 12 teams now getting into the playoff each year, plus a nine-game conference schedule, big-time nonconference games may get pushed to the side more often than not in the years ahead.

Because of that, Franklin said he and his team plan to embrace the challenge next month.

“We’ve embraced it and we’re excited about it. From a historical perspective, whether it’s Pitt or West Virginia, there’s great history with those opponents,” he said.

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