Performing well against ranked opponents? Looks like it’s not Penn State head coach James Franklin’s cup of tea. The Nittany Lions have hit 10 wins in six of Franklin’s 12 seasons, with only one losing year (2020) and six bowl victories, including two CFP wins in 2024. Yet, his teams continue to stumble in the biggest games. His career record against AP-ranked top-10 teams, including his time as a head coach at both Vanderbilt and Penn State, is currently 4-26. 

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. And Dan Lanning’s Oregon just made things worse after handing them a 24-30 overtime win. Instead of running away, Franklin faces the criticism with a brave heart. 

During the post-game presser on September 27, Penn State beat writer Lyle Alenstein posted a clip of the interview. Sounding low, Franklin said, “I get that narrative, and it’s really not a narrative. It’s factual. It’s the facts. I get it. But I try to look at the entire picture and what we’ve been able to do here. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to win those games. I totally get it. And I take ownership. I take responsibility.” Well, he had to.

For most of the night, Franklin’s offense looked stuck in neutral. The run game sputtered, Drew Allar misfired, and the Ducks dominated possession. Two overtimes couldn’t mask the struggles, just 276 total yards, with Allar throwing for 137 yards, two TDs, and an interception. Now, that’s what you call a brutal way to lose.  

And Franklin acknowledged his players’ feelings, “At the end of the day, I wanted that for those kids in that locker room. I wanted that for those kids. How hard they work, how much they sacrifice. And we had our opportunities. We had our opportunities. But yeah, I take responsibility.” Penn State’s cupcake nonconference slate made it tempting to believe Franklin’s boys were hiding their real firepower for the Big Ten opener. But the analysts were wrong. Against Oregon, Franklin’s offense broke down and looked nothing like a veteran unit with an elite O-line and transfer firepower at wideout.

Franklin’s quarterback, Allar, became a boo magnet as he connected with receivers, finishing with 14 completions for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Too many throws weren’t tipped or defended; they just hit the turf. His double-overtime interception sealed the nightmare. While Franklin was spotted in a low mood, Dan Lanning had happy tears as he came up with a fiery message. 

James Franklin’s boys’ stumble leaves Dan Lanning to pour his heart out

Do you remember how Lanning had put Franklin and Co. on high alert? As reported by Oregon insider Zachary Neel, the Oregon head coach said, ”We will do everything we can to be prepared for that environment.” So, one can fathom the emotional and physical investment in the game. It was evident how Lanning could no longer hold back his tears, witnessing how his boys fought till the last minute. 

Oregon looked poised to close it out, but Franklin’s boys stormed back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to knot it at 17 and force overtime. But Happy Valley made the Ducks happy with an overtime win. Right after the game, Lanning’s eyes glistened as he said, “Our team, special man, special.” However, his heart goes out to Penn State. 

In the post-game presser, there has been empathy for Franklin’s program mixed with pride for his own team. In Lanning’s eyes, Penn State is a “great” program. As the Oregon head coach said, wrapping up a thrilling win, “Good football there. I think I’ve experienced that. They work really hard. There’s some type of emotion in a game like that. You put your all, your incredible hours, your players work so hard. So for them to be able to celebrate a moment like that would be devastating. I feel for that team in the other locker room because they busted their a– too.” Is that all?

Nope. Dan Lanning can’t get away without crowning his own program. He makes it very clear how proud he is of Oregon, “You talk about a great football team. You’re probably going to see that team again. Our guys work so hard for them to be able to walk out of this with an LBS.” At what cost? Beaver Stadium is shaking under 111,000 voices demanding, ‘Fire Ryan Day’.