Penn State is moving on from James Franklin.
According to ESPN, Franklin is out as the team’s coach following a 22-21 upset loss to Northwestern on Saturday. The loss dropped the preseason No. 2 Nittany Lions to 3-3 on the season and was the team’s second straight defeat as a 20-point favorite. A week earlier, Penn State lost 42-37 at a previously-winless UCLA team as a 24.5-point favorite.
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Penn State’s fall during the 2025 season was sudden. The Nittany Lions were 3-0 ahead of a top-five matchup against Oregon. After losing in double overtime to the Ducks, PSU has gone from potential national title contender to needing a new coach in the span of three weeks.
Franklin’s buyout is roughly $50 million as he’s the 16th-highest paid coach in college football in 2025 according to USA Today’s database. However, his out clause in the contract is just $1 million. Could that leave a wide berth for a compromise?
A fresh start could be what both coach and school need. Penn State has been very successful in Franklin’s 11-plus year tenure with six seasons of 10 wins or more and were one win away from the national title game in January. But that time at Penn State — as PSU fans know very, very well — has been defined by typically being bested by Ohio State and Michigan.
In 2016, the lone season Penn State won the Big Ten title under Franklin, the Nittany Lions got a 24-21 home win over Ohio State but lost 49-10 at Michigan earlier that year and by three to Pitt in Week 2.
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Even in 2024, when Penn State lost to Notre Dame, the Nittany Lions were still haunted by a lack of wins over top-10 opponents. Penn State lost 20-13 to No. 4 Ohio State in the regular season and lost 45-37 at No. 1 Oregon. PSU’s CFP win over Boise State was just the fourth win against a top-10 opponent in Franklin’s tenure and the loss to Oregon this season was its 21st defeat.
Against Michigan and Ohio State, Franklin’s teams went 4-17.
2025 was supposed to be the year Penn State finally got over the hump. The Nittany Lions lost first-round picks Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren to the NFL but brought back a ton of talent that could have left for the pros and also added former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to run the defense.
Among those returning players was QB Drew Allar, a player who has been more promise than production in his Penn State career. Especially against top teams. But on Saturday, Allar suffered a season-ending lower leg injury late in the fourth quarter as Penn State attempted to come back.
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A day later, Penn State is moving forward the rest of the season without its coach and its starting quarterback. The job is set to be the most attractive opening of the college football coaching cycle and will command no shortage of candidates. And the challenge for the next coach will be to do what Franklin couldn’t and win the school’s first national title since 1986.
