Penn State entered the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25, just behind Texas, but not everyone is buying into the hype. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, who has picked an SEC team to win the national championship, has been one of the loudest critics of James Franklin’s program.
Back in July, he singled out the Nittany Lions as the team carrying the most pressure this season and questioned whether Franklin could handle it.
“I hate to beat up on [Franklin], he’s such a nice man and he's a very good coach,” Finebaum said on SportsCenter. “But he’s never won what I would call a major, big-time, have-to-win game, and I don’t think he’s going to do it this year. He may get to the national championship game, but he will not win it.”
Penn State is off to a 2-0 start after handling Nevada 46-11 in its opener and blanking FIU 34-0 in Week 2. Its final non-conference tune-up comes this Saturday against FCS opponent Villanova before a much-anticipated Week 5 clash at home against No. 4 Oregon.
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While the Lions have yet to face a power-conference team, Oregon will arrive already tested by Oklahoma State, Northwestern, and rival Oregon State.
Finebaum has not eased off his criticism. On “The Rich Eisen Show,” he mocked Penn State’s non-league slate by comparing Nevada, FIU, and Villanova to “the top three teams in the Catholic youth organization.” He added,
“How do you get away with playing a schedule like that? It’s downright embarrassing.”
Pressure mounting on James Franklin ahead of Oregon
Despite the soft competition, Penn State’s defense has been sharp, holding opponents to 5.5 points per game, the eighth-best mark in the nation, while recording six sacks and two interceptions. Offensively, quarterback Drew Allar has posted 417 yards, three touchdowns, and three sacks, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt.
For Franklin, the looming test against Oregon represents more than just another game. If Penn State slips in that matchup or later against Ohio State or Indiana, Finebaum’s doubts will only grow louder. To quiet critics, the Nittany Lions will need to prove themselves week after week, all the way to the College Football Playoff.
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