Penn State fired James Franklin because he couldn’t win the big games. Franklin was 4-21 against top-five opponents through his 11-plus years in Happy Valley, and since his dismissal, the Nittany Lions have lost two more, falling to No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus last week and No. 2 Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
Last week, the interim head coach Terry Smith-led Nittany Lions trailed by just three at halftime to the Buckeyes before allowing 21 unanswered points in the second half. In Week 11, Penn State threw an even bigger punch against the Hoosiers, but still couldn’t land the knockout.