As much as Penn State is a team to keep an eye on this fall in the Big Ten, all eyes will likely be on coach James Franklin's ability to win the big games. Just ask Ohio State and Notre Dame, as the Nittany Lions fell victim to both this past season.
This season, however, seems different. The Nittany Lions are essentially an Ohio State copycat as they return most of last year's Orange Bowl team. With the pieces in place, Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt sees Franklin as a coach who will win now and remain a fixture in those same conversations as the Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, and Michigan Wolverines.
"For James Franklin, it's time," Klatt said on "The Joel Klatt Show." "Everybody around that program knows it. He knows it. His coordinators know it ... This is a program that's built itself on such solid footing over the last few years. Making it to the national semifinals a year ago."
Klatt said what continues to allude to Franklin is having numerous games to look back upon as moments when the program began to make it nationally. That will have to change the season for Penn State to reach lofty expectations.
"Playing for a Big Ten title a year ago," Klatt added. "Yet, here's the problem. Penn State under James Franklin still doesn't have that win, at least in recent vintage in the last four or five seasons against a team that they are maybe similar to."
It's unclear whether this year's team can begin to break the mold. But in any event, Penn State should remain a Big 10 championship contender all season long to give itself a chance at another playoff appearance.
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Adding Jim Knowles from Ohio State as the new defensive coordinator certainly helps, as the November matchup against Knowles' old team could go a lomg way in determining a champion.
Come August, we'll find out.