The Nittany Lions haven't gotten better since firing James Franklin, while UCLA, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and UAB see interim coach bumps.
Seven FBS teams have fired their head coaches since the start of the 2025 season. Not every one of them has turned it around, but plenty have fared much better than the Nittany Lions did in their first game without James Franklin.
With Terry Smith in his first game as the Nittany Lions’ interim head coach, Penn State blew a 21-10 second-half lead, losing 25-24 after allowing a two-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.