It is no secret that Penn State football head coach James Franklin struggles in the big games.
Since taking over the program in 2014, Franklin has an abysmal record against top opponents. He is 13-27 against top-25 teams, 3-17 against top-10 teams, and 1-15 against top-5 teams.
That includes a 1-10 record versus the Ohio State Buckeyes and a 3-7 mark versus the Michigan Wolverines, both of whom have captured National Championships during Franklin’s reign.
The Nittany Lions avoid Michigan this season and will travel to Columbus on November 1. However, as crucial as that road trip is for Franklin, there is arguably an even more important date earlier in the schedule.
Here is what Joel Klatt of Fox Sports had to say on Franklin’s biggest must-win matchup of the season:
“If Penn State loses that game [at home versus Oregon], all anyone is going to be talking about is that James Franklin can’t win these games, because that’s the slow-boiling narrative going into the season,” Klatt said. “… He’s got to win that game.
“If you don’t beat Oregon, at home, in the White Out, you’re like ‘Oh no, is this going to work?’ Again, it’s time. You don’t want to put that on your shoulders in November in the ‘Shoe at Ohio State.”
Klatt also talked about how the talent disparity is razor thin between these teams, and highlighted the strong, veteran group of Nittany Lions returners that should give Franklin a good chance of earning a marquee victory over the Ducks.
Even after making the College Football Playoff Semifinal and taking Notre Dame to the brink, fans felt like a relatively easy path enhanced Franklin’s performance.
He has won some major bowl games (2017 Fiesta, 2019 Cotton, 2022 Rose), and did dismantle both SMU and Boise State last postseason. However, the lack of dominance within the Big Ten has restricted Penn State’s quest for a championship.
Beating Oregon would all but guarantee another 9 or 10-win regular season for Franklin’s group, as this is far from the most intimidating schedule in the country.
This is not a new notion, but one that will continue to haunt Franklin’s legacy until he sheds the monkey off his back.