Penn State’s latest setback in a marquee matchup has once again placed the spotlight on head coach James Franklin. The Nittany Lions, ranked No. 3, fell 30-24 in double overtime to No. 6 Oregon in front of a “White Out” crowd at Beaver Stadium.
The loss dropped Franklin to 4-21 against Associated Press top-10 opponents during his tenure, including a staggering 1-18 mark against Big Ten teams in that category.
Franklin acknowledged the mounting criticism, saying,
“I get that narrative and it’s really not a narrative, it’s factual. It’s the facts. … I totally get it. And I take ownership. I take responsibility."
Franklin faces pressure after Oregon heartbreak
The defeat cemented Franklin’s .160 winning percentage against top-10 opponents, a mark tied for the third-worst among head coaches with at least 25 such games since the AP poll began in 1936, according to ESPN Research.
“We have a passionate fan base,” Franklin said. “When we win, there’s nothing better. When we lose, there’s nothing worse. So I get it. I get the frustration that comes with a fan base that is invested and cares.”
Penn State nearly pulled off its biggest comeback since 2016, erasing a 17-3 deficit behind senior quarterback Drew Allar. He led two late touchdown drives to force overtime, then connected again in the extra period.
Oregon quickly answered, however, and sealed the win after Allar’s interception on the next possession.
“I tried to get the ball over the guy’s head,” Allar said. “He jumped up and caught the ball.”
The interception added to a frustrating trend for Allar. Since becoming Penn State’s starter in 2023, he is 0-6 against AP top-6 opponents. His lone top-10 victory came in last year’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Boise State.
“Obviously, it hurts,” Allar said. “We had our opportunities. … But it’s a long season ahead of us. We’re going to have more opportunities to fix this — and I’ll be the first one to go into the fire.”