Paul Finebaum Names Prominent College Football Coach Who Can’t Win a National Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the 2024 college football season approached, Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day faced significant pressure.
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Day had experienced success as the head coach at Ohio State, but he had not yet won a national championship and had failed to defeat the Michigan Wolverines for three consecutive seasons. Then the 2024 season arrived, and Day lost to Michigan once again, adding pressure to his role.
He responded to this challenge by winning four straight College Football Playoff games by solid margins and ultimately securing Ohio State’s first national championship since 2014.
Another coach in the Big Ten is under pressure to perform. On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst expressed doubt that Penn State Nittany Lions’ James Franklin has what it takes.
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Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin.Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
“I think Penn State is very good, I think everybody agrees with me on that,” Finebaum said. “Do I think they can win the national championship? No. I don’t think James Franklin is good enough.”
Finebaum believes that Drew Allar is an excellent quarterback and considers the Penn State Nittany Lions one of the most complete teams in the country. He thinks they can win every game during the regular season, except for their game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on the road. Ultimately, he feels that while Penn State has the potential to go very far, it may not reach the final destination.
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ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) ranks Penn State as the No. 5 team in the nation, giving them a 7 percent chance to win the national championship, which is the fifth-best chance overall. Many of the high expectations for the Nittany Lions this season are based on the talent they are returning.
Penn State brings back several key players, including Allar, running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, as well as defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Overall, the team retains 63 percent of its production, ranking 33rd in the nation.
Last season, Allar passed for 3,327 yards, with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions, achieving a completion percentage of 66.5 percent. This marked his best season as a starter. Additionally, both Allen and Singleton rushed for over 1,000 yards, combining for a total of 20 rushing touchdowns.
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The Nittany Lions will begin their season against the Nevada Wolf Pack on Aug. 30 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Paul Finebaum Calls Out Big-Name College Football Coach for Falling Short of Expectations
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
