Things have gone from bad to worse for James Franklin. Losing against a ranked opponent (a continuation of Franklin tradition) is one thing. Oregon is one of the best teams in the country. But ahead of their matchup against 0-4 UCLA, everyone had one result in mind. Unfortunately for Penn State, no one told Nico Iamaleava about that result. A 42-37 loss to the Bruins at Rose Bowl Stadium is what the Lions got. To make matters worse, it’s a defeat to an unranked opponent. How will it fare for Franklin? Well, Penn State fans were chanting to fire him last week. Imagine what they would say now!

The Lions gave up nearly 300 yards and 27 points in the first half. Now Penn State sits at 3-2 with 0-2 in conference play, and that’s not just impacting their playoff run but also downgrading Franklin’s status in the coaching ranks.

Everyone knows UCLA has been a big mess since the start of the season. Despite getting in transfer QB Nico Iamaleava, they were at 0-4 in the league. That’s exactly why they even fired their head coach, DeShaun Foster. But suddenly, this underdog team gave Penn State their biggest setback of the season. And that’s not turning out good for him. As Ron Carthen hits X with a bold statement: “#7 Penn State losing to UCLA, who fired coach DeShaun Foster almost three weeks ago, is the most inexcusable loss of the college football season so far. Shame on James Franklin and his players. Get them out of the Top 25.”

Penn State’s Top 10 position in the AP 25 was already put into question by the likes of Josh Pate. They haven’t had even one impressive win on their resume. Now, they have an exceptional loss. Alan Sanders highlights: “Penn State routinely coming up small against the big boys of college football was annoying but excusable. Losing to a UCLA team that has already fired its whole coaching staff should rightfully have the pitchforks out.”

UCLA looked strong since the start of the game and easily moved the ball against Jim Knowles’s defense, leading to a 27-7 halftime score. The worst part? In the second half Franklin’s team did have a chance to make a comeback, but they fumbled the ball, giving UCLA an upper hand.

QB Nico Iamaleava finally lived up to the hype. Throwing for 166 yards with two touchdowns and a rushing game of 128 yards with 3 more TDs just elevated the Bruins’ offense. By the end of the fourth quarter, the Lions did have a chance to tie the game. They had even stopped UCLA on downs but couldn’t score on their own drive with a failed fourth down attempt at the Bruins’ 9-yard line.

During the last minute of the game, UCLA was running the clock down by getting a safety, giving Penn State two points on purpose. It worked perfectly, as Penn State got the ball with just 12 seconds remaining and couldn’t score again. When the final whistle had blown, UCLA had gained 435 yards of offense against Penn state with 269 yards on the ground. That’s not just a set back but a big slap in the face for the Penn State football program. This loss might just trigger the administration to start looking to move on from Franklin. It sure has given fans enough reason to criticize him.

James Franklin in major trouble

“Fire Franklin” rants were a major highlight in Penn State’s loss against Oregon, but no one expected it to continue against UCLA too. Now, for years, Penn State has been viewed as a Big Ten contender and is 2-21 against ranked teams in the AP Top 6. Their massive comeback of getting over with a 14-point deficit and forcing overtime against Oregon went right into the drain due to a costly interception by Drew Allar. These results showed their current struggles to win against top programs. But against UCLA? That’s no excuse.

Fans are frustrated by their second-half collapses and late-game mistakes, and the only thing that’s left for them to say is to get rid of James Franklin. But is it that easy to fire him? Back in 2021 Franklin signed a 10-year deal that pays him an $8 million salary with a $500k retention bonus each year. So, if at all Penn State plans on firing him, they will have to pay him the entire base salary with supplemental pay of $6.5 million with his insurance of $1 million and $8 million in total for the number of years remaining.

So, in total, Penn State would owe James Franklin a hefty amount of $56 million if it’s just after this loss, and if they wait until 2026, then the amount might go to $48 million. For now firing Franklin won’t be considered, but possible options are already floating in, like Jon Gruden, who’s showing his immense interest in returning to coach. It means he’s eager for a chance, and Penn State could very well use that zeal and enthusiasm. Next week Penn State’s going up against Northwestern, and a win there can help with Franklin’s fate. But it sure won’t fix the damage that has already been done.