LAS VEGAS — Penn State isn’t afraid of high expectations, and embracing the talk of winning a national title is nothing new.
The Nittany Lions are one of college football’s more consistent programs over the last decade, ranking 10th nationally in wins, but it wasn’t until last season coach James Frankliin reached the College Football Playoff, advancing to the semifinals before losing to national runner-up Notre Dame. In reflection, the longest season in Penn State history, with a 13-3 record, is something that should be celebrated. Yet, there comes a point in every race when falling short begins to irritate even the most diehard supporters.
“Last year is a perfect example of that,” Franklin said Wednesday as he faced reporters at Big Ten Media Days. “We finished essentially a drive away from the national championship game, and people were pissed. It didn’t necessarily feel like the type of season that we had, and that comes with being the head football coach at Penn State or being the quarterback at Penn State. You knew that when you took the job.”
What makes Penn State one of the sport’s most interesting case studies is that its success and failure are easy to categorize. The Nittany Lions have won 101 games in Franklin’s 11 years, the 10th-most wins in the FBS since 2014.
The problem? Franklin is also 1-15 against top-five opponents, the teams you must beat to win a national title. He was 0-3 against top-five teams and 13-0 last season. He’s also 1-18 overall in a career that began at Vanderbilt, marking the third-worst record ever against top-five teams in the FBS.
“We’ve had a program that 99% of the programs in the country would die to have and love to have,” said Franklin, “but there’s obviously room for growth.”
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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/were-in-total-control-how-penn-states-drew-allar-is-embracing-lofty-expectations-in-make-or-break-season/
Author : Brandon Marcello
Publish date : 2025-07-24 12:33:00
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