$50M James Franklin admits ‘I Didn’t Get It Done’ after winless UCLA torches Penn State 42-37 originally appeared on The Sporting News
Penn State’s College Football Playoff dreams took a devastating turn Saturday as the No. 7 Nittany Lions were stunned 42-37 by previously winless UCLA at the Rose Bowl.
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The loss snapped a 34-game winning streak against unranked opponents and marked the program’s second straight defeat, following a double-overtime loss to Oregon a week earlier.
Head coach James Franklin, who carries a $50 million buyout, offered no excuses after the collapse.
“Obviously, we did not handle last week’s loss well,” Franklin said. “We also lost some players in that game, and then everything else, travel, everything else, we did not come out with the right energy to start the game…..they gain confidence, and we’re fighting for the next three quarters. So, that’s my responsibility, and I didn’t get it done.”
Penn State’s defense collapses as UCLA, led by interim staff, lights up scoreboard
For a Bruins squad that entered 0-4 with an interim head coach and newly promoted coordinators, the result was almost unthinkable. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava led the charge, throwing for 166 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 128 yards and three more scores.
UCLA, ranked 134th nationally in scoring before the game, piled up more than 400 total yards and averaged over seven yards per snap. Franklin’s defense, now under coordinator Jim Knowles, appeared overmatched and out of sync.
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The Bruins converted crucial third downs at will, often through Iamaleava’s scrambles, while Jerry Neuheisel’s hastily assembled offense outschemed the Nittany Lions throughout.
“We’ve got to tune out all the outside noise,” Franklin said after the game. “There’s going to be a lot out there to divide, divide, divide, and we’ve got to tune all that out and stick together.”
The loss intensified criticism of Franklin’s leadership and Penn State’s inability to perform under pressure.
With the buyout exceeding $50 million, one of the largest in college football history, change seems unlikely in the near term, but the latest defeat has cast serious doubt on whether Franklin remains the man to lead Penn State forward.
