It's undeniable that James Franklin is one of the most successful coaches in college football. For over a decade, he's steadily lifted Penn State's program to new heights.
The Nittany Lions have won at least 10 games in six of Franklin's 12 seasons at the helm, with just one season with a record under .500 (2020) and six victories in bowl games, including two College Football Playoff wins in 2024. While Penn State has regularly put itself among the elite in college football, there has been one nagging issue for Franklin — his team's performance in the biggest games of the year.
Whether it's Penn State's annual games against Ohio State, or other ranked matchups that have been key opportunities for the Nittany Lions to prove themselves, the squad has often come up short. Those big-game struggles have been prominent enough to follow Franklin each year, as his record in top-10 matchups showcases Penn State's inability to breakthrough to the top tier.
Here's what to know about Franklin's record vs. top 10-ranked teams and more on his tenure at Penn State.
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James Franklin record vs. top 10 teams
- 4-25 (.138)
Franklin's career record against AP-ranked top-10 teams, including his time as a head coach at both Vanderbilt and Penn State, is currently 4-25. That includes a 1-18 record (.053) against top-5 squads, and Franklin is also 17-36 overall (.321) against AP Top 25 ranked teams in general.
When trimming those numbers to his Penn State tenure alone, Franklin's top-5 record is 1-15 (.063), top-10 record is 4-20 (.167) and top-25 record is 16-28 (.364).
James Franklin games vs. top-10 opponents at Penn State
| Date | Opponent | Result | Final Score |
| Nov. 29, 2014 | No. 10 Michigan State | Loss | 34-10 |
| Oct. 17, 2015 | No. 1 Ohio State | Loss | 38-10 |
| Nov. 28, 2015 | No. 6 Michigan State | Loss | 55-16 |
| Sept. 24, 2016 | No. 4 Michigan | Loss | 49-10 |
| Oct. 22, 2016 | No. 2 Ohio State | Win | 24-21 |
| Dec. 3, 2016 | No. 6 Wisconsin | Win | 38-31 |
| Jan. 2, 2017 | No. 9 USC | Loss | 52-49 |
| Oct. 28, 2017 | No. 6 Ohio State | Loss | 39-38 |
| Sept. 29, 2018 | No. 4 Ohio State | Loss | 27-26 |
| Nov. 3, 2018 | No. 5 Michigan | Loss | 42-7 |
| Nov. 23, 2018 | No. 2 Ohio State | Loss | 28-17 |
| Oct. 31, 2020 | No. 3 Ohio State | Loss | 38-25 |
| Oct. 9, 2021 | No. 2 Iowa | Loss | 23-20 |
| Oct. 30, 2021 | No. 5 Ohio State | Loss | 33-24 |
| Nov. 13, 2021 | No. 9 Michigan | Loss | 21-17 |
| Oct. 15, 2022 | No. 5 Michigan | Loss | 41-17 |
| Oct. 29, 2022 | No. 2 Ohio State | Loss | 44-31 |
| Jan. 2, 2023 | No. 7 Utah | Win | 35-21 |
| Oct. 21, 2023 | No. 3 Ohio State | Loss | 20-12 |
| Nov. 11, 2023 | No. 2 Michigan | Loss | 24-15 |
| Nov. 2, 2024 | No. 4 Ohio State | Loss | 20-13 |
| Dec. 7, 2024 | No. 1 Oregon | Loss | 45-37 |
| Dec. 31, 2024 | No. 8 Boise State | Win | 31-14 |
| Jan. 9, 2025 | No. 3 Notre Dame | Loss | 27-24 |
A significant portion of those ranked losses for Franklin have come against Ohio State and Michigan, two Big Ten squads who annually find themselves among the top teams in college football. In Franklin's time at Penn State, he has a 1-10 record against the Buckeyes, including eight-straight losses from 2017-24, while his record against the Wolverines is 3-7.
With Penn State being among the best teams in the country on an annual basis, but without many big wins to show for it, Franklin has often received criticism for his record in top-10 games. At various points throughout his stint in Happy Valley, it's been a cause of tension between he and fans, and he's addressed the need to win ranked matchups many times as well.
“You got to be able to be as consistent as you can possibly can be, which is really hard, and we’ve done that as good as anywhere in the country,” Franklin said, per The Athletic. “But you also have to find a way to win the big ones. And I totally recognize that. I totally embrace that.”
Following a 20-13 loss to Ohio State in November 2024, Franklin also said "Nobody is looking in the mirror harder than I am" and "99% of the programs across college football would die to do what we've been able to do in our time here," according to ESPN.
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James Franklin record at Penn State
- 104-42 (.712)
Despite the number of losses against top squads, Franklin's teams at Penn State have still remained some of the best in the nation. He owns a total of 104 career victories with the Nittany Lions, with a a 64-33 (.659) record in Big Ten games.
Franklin's overall career record, including his time at Vanderbilt, is 128-57 (.692).
Entering the 2025 season, Penn State's 101 wins since 2014, when Franklin took over, were the 10th-most in the FBS over that span, per The Athletic. The coach's time in State College includes five top-10 finishes, a Big Ten title (2016) and six wins in bowl games, including two CFP victories.
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How long has James Franklin coached at Penn State?
Franklin has been the head coach at Penn State since January 2014. He took the position over for Bill O'Brien, who coached the Nittany Lions for two seasons.
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James Franklin biggest wins at Penn State
Over his time with the Nittany Lions, Franklin's lone victory in a game against a top-5-ranked opponent came in November 2016, when Penn State upset No. 2 Ohio State 24-21, highlighted by a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown. That was also Franklin's first ranked victory at Penn State.
Never forget that Grant Haley scored three years ago today.pic.twitter.com/M72Lt7yWVI
— Roar Lions Roar (@RLRblog) October 22, 2019
Prior to a 2024 CFP bid, the biggest bowl game win for Franklin at Penn State was likely in the 2022 Rose Bowl, which as a 35-21 final score over Utah. Franklin has also led the Nittany Lions to bowl game wins in the Pinstripe Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Cotton Bowl. Penn State also beat Wisconsin 38-31 in the 2016 Big Ten Championship game, the only time the program has accomplished that feat under Franklin.
In 2024, the Nittany Lions were included in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. They won two games, beating SMU at home then Boise State in Miami for the Orange Bowl before a loss to Notre Dame.
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When was Penn State's last national championship?
The Nittany Lions last claimed a national championship in football in 1986. The program's only other claimed title came in 1982, while 1911, 1912, 1969, 1981 and 1994 were all years with unclaimed championships for Penn State.